The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 7

SECTION Scoreboard2 Major Leagues4 Classified9. 3 Friday, April 26, 1985 6) 9 1 TOM SQUIRES Baseball mm the Graduates THE RAILING DIVIDING the upper and lower levels of the new Nashville Sounds stadium club restaurant is made of baseball bats autographed by former Sounds who reached the major leagues. The row includes more than 50 bats. A total of 32 former Sounds' players or coaches were on opening-day rosters this season. As expected, Cincinnati and the New York Yankees have the most ex-Sounds on their big league rosters.

The Reds have seven and the Yanks six. New York has 12 other former Sounds who are now with other big league clubs. Six major leaguers who were at Nashville while in the Cincinnati farm system, are now with other organizations. George Scherger, who managed Nashville to the 1979 Southern League pennant, is still coaching with Cincinnati and is with former Sounds players Duane Walker, Dave Van Gorder, Eddie Milner, Frank Pastore, Joe Price and Gary Redus. r.

Stump Merrill, the only Sounds skipper to last more than one season at the Nashville helm, is now first-base coach for the Yankees and is on the same team with former Sounds Don Mattingly, Vic Mata, Scott Bradley, Bobby Meacham and Mike Pagliarulo. Former Sounds-Reds now with other big league clubs include Paul Householder (Milwaukee), Doug Corbett (California), Jay Howell (Oakland), Bruce Berenyi (N.Y. Mets), Jeff Lahti (St Louis) and Bill Dawley (Houston). Ex-Yankees and Sounds now with other big league teams include Pete Filson (Minnesota), Steve Balboni (Kansas City), Pat Tabler, Otis Nixon and first base coach Ed Cx I fj mj Staff photo by Ricky Rogers Making It CleGr Hendersonviile Cathy Bodkin clears the bar to win the high jump in the Optimist Track Meet at Overton. Story on page 7.

Red birds Rally To Tumble Sounds 4-3 Napoleon (Cleveland), Mike Morgan (seat- coach Johnny Oates (Chicago Cubs), Willie McGee (St. Louis), Rafael Santana (N.Y. Kable with the tying run. Kelly, who took over for Cary at the start of the eighth inning, got the loss. Louisville, which entered the contest trailing division-leading Buffalo by a game, scattered six Sounds' hits among four Last night's game was probably the last one under the direction of player-coach Roberts, who has run the ballclub for the past seven games in the absence of ailing manager Lee Walls.

Interim manager Gordy MacKenzie is scheduled to arrive today to take the helm. Detroit Tigers pitching coach Roger Craig joined the team yesterday and will spend the next eight days working with Sounds pitchers. "The arms in Triple-A are probably as good as the arms in Detroit," says Craig. difference is confidence." The personable Craig, semi-retired and living in San Diego, is scheduled to work three different sessions with the Sounds this season for a total of 30 days. The Sounds added their third and final run in the fourth when Louisville third base-.

man Tom Lawless and leftfielder Jack Ayer allowed a towering fly by Mike Laga to drop in for a triple. It scored Melvin, who had led off the inning with a single. A stretching backhand catch by Sounds' rightfielder Leon Roberts robbed Louisville's Casey Parsons of at least a double and saved a run in the fourth. But the Sounds' bid for a second straight shutout came to ah end in the sixth when Lawless looped a twfrout single into center, scoring Hunt. Hunt had led off with a hit that dropped into left field at the feet of Smith, who apparently misjudged the ball.

Louisville tied the score at 3-3 in the seventh after Nashville starter Brian Denman opened the inning by walking the first two batters. A pitch by reliever Cary was bounced over the left field wall by Lazado for a ground-rule double that scored Ayer. Hunt was intentionally walked and an Oquendo sacrifice fly to right brought home Dave By LARRY WOODY Tennessean Sports Writer LOUISVILLE, Ky, A twoout double in the bottom of the ninth drove in the winning run for Louisville here last night as the Red-birds rallied to beat the Nashville Sounds 4-3. Louisville centerfielder Curt Ford blasted the fateful shot off Sounds' reliever Bryan Kelly. The loss left Nashville with a 5-9 record and still bringing up the rear in the American Association East, four games out of first place.

The Redbirds' victory, before 5,094, evened the four-game series at 1-1. Nashville won the opener 3-0. Game No. 3 is scheduled tonight at 6:30 (CST) with Randy O'Neal (0-2) on the mound for the Sounds. Nashville took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth before Louisville scored its first run, then the 'Birds added two more in the seventh to tie the score at 3-3.

The Sounds went down in order in the eighth and ninth. Louisville leadoff batter Willie Lazado flied out to center to open the bottom of the ninth, and Randy Hunt struck out. But just as it appeared the game was destined for extra innings, shortstop Jose Oquen-do looped a 3-2 pitch into shallow center field. Ford then strode to the plate and lashed his game-winning double through the left-center field gap to bring home Oquendo. "Everything happened so fast that everybody was kinda stunned when we got into the clubhouse," said Chuck Cary, one of three Sounds pitchers to work the game.

"One minute we were thinking extra innings and then with one swing of the bat it was all over," added Cary. "It's tough to lose that way." Nashville had jumped to a 2-0 second-inning lead when Bob Melvin led off with a triple, then came home on a balk by Red- birds starter Tom Epple. Ron Johnson followed with a double that drove Epple from the game. Louisville reliever Mick Shade was promptly tagged for a two-out double by Mark Smith, scoring Johnson. Mets), and Tim Burke (Montreal).

One Current major leaguer who played for the Sounds but wasn't a member of either the Yankee or Reds organization is catcher Mark Salas, who helped Nashville capture the 1982 Southern League crown. He was on loan to the Yankees from the Cardinals in 1 982 and was drafted by Minnesota prior to this season. Tennessee State University had three former players in the big leagues at the start of the season pitcher Nate Snell with Baltimore, outfielder Roy Johnson with Montreal and outfielder Terry Blocker with the New York Mets. Johnson, who has since been demoted back to the minors, and Blocker were teammates at TSU. i i i Masters Tennis Opens Today Scott Only American Among Awesome Austrialians Kramer To Address VU Board of Trust Athletic Director Roy Kramer makes his annual appearance before the Vanderbilt Board of Trust this afternoon.

Kramer is on the afternoon agenda of the regular spring meeting, which is held at the Godchaux Annex on the Van- derbilt campus. He annually reports on the general state of the intercollegiate athletic program at this board meeting. iiic uiuversuy oi lennessee aiso riau three ex-players in the majors in Los Angeles pitcher Rick Honeycutt, Houston infielder Phil Garner-and Minnesota pitcher Mike Smithson of Centerville, Tenn. Memphis State also had a couple of big leaguers in Montreal pitcher Charlie Lea and Lps Angeles shortstop Dave Anderson, who was signed by former Nashvillian Carl Lowenstein. vVanderbilt's lone major leaguer is Chicago QibS pitcher Scott Sanderson.

most excited baseball town in the South may be Huntsville, Ala, where the Sounds moved their Class AA Southern League franchise. The Stars, an affiliate of the Oakland A's, are off to a sensational start both on the field and at the gate. Huntsville, which won 10 of its first 13 games to take the Eastern Division lead, drew a capacity crowd of more than 10,000 in its home opener which the Stars won 10-0. Attendance was at more than 19,000 for the first three home games. Attendance has also been good at the Sounds' stadium club restaurant which opened for lunch this week.

Also off to fast starts were the Mitchell brothers Charlie and John of Overton High School fame. The two pitchers are both in the Boston farm system, signed by Red Sox superscout George Digby. John won his first outing when he pitched New Britain to The nature of his report is unknown, but his appearance comes just a week after a Davidson County Grand Jury returned a 97-count indictment against three men including former Vanderbilt strength coach E.J. (Doc) Kreis for conspiracy to distribute steroids without a prescription. A three-month investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation led to the grand jury indictments which named 32 present and former Vanderbilt football Dlavers as unindirted ro By CAROL STUART Tennnwan Sports Writer BRENTWOOD, Term.

Gene Scott, the only American on the current Grand Masters tennis tour, knows from first-hand, backhand and forehand experience how tough his Australian counterparts can be. "That I'm the token American is a good and proper reflection of history. The Australians beat me and the Davis Cup teams from America 25 years ago, and I'll tell you from personal experience they are still doing it the Grand Masters" he said with a smile. "Rocket" Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall, who hold more titles than Harlequin Romance, lead the pack of over-45 stars from Down Under in this weekend's tour stop at Maryland Farms Racquet and Country Club. Fellow Australians on the circuit Neale Fraser, Fred Stolle and Mai Anderson also have credentials you can't fault "I think it's not going to be as likely the Australians' dominance of the 1950s and 60s will be matched," the 46-year-old Laver said yesterday.

"So many countries are putting emphasis on the game of tennis Sweden, Czechslovakia, Italy, Spain, Argentina. "It just seemed like we had a lot of great players, and we found our- selves getting to play against the best players in the world. A lot of Australian players had the talent to reach the top. In tennis a lot of players have the opportunity but not the talent." Rosewall and Stolle agree that their homeland's unprecedented development programs had a lot to do with Australia's success in their era. But they also point out that the predominant grass courts in their country trained them for the championships of their day.

"They didn't have American champions until they moved (the U.S. Open) to Flushing Meadows," said Stolle, who won both singles and doubles titles in the 1966 U.S. Open. "It's important for any country to play on the surface that suits your style." "Wimbeldon, the Australian Open, all the main championships were played on low-bouncing surfaces," said Rosewall, now 50. "In Australia, our game is still not dominated by hard-court surfaces." But it'll be a modern indoor artificial hardened surface where the eight legends will begin their competition at the Third National Bank Grand Masters tournament here today.

Playing facilities, along with the larger non-wood rackets, have been two dramatic changes in the game since their prime time. Rosewall's match with India's Ramanathan Krishnan, 48, the un- disputed top Asian player for 15 years, kicks off the 1 p.m. session today. Fraser and Anderson will face off in the following match. Scott must challenge Laver at the start of the 6:30 session tonight be- fore Stolle plays Spaniard Andres Gimeno, who at 47 is the tour's "rookie." Today's sessions each cost $5.50 -general admission, while tomorrow's singles and doubles semifinals and Sunday's 1 p.m.

finals are $8 per session. Laver and Rosewall are paired against Scott-Krishnan at 3:30 tomo row, following a singles semifinal The team of Stolle-Gimeno goes up against Anderson-Fraser at 8 p.m. after the second singles semi. "You want to beat all of them," says the red-headed Laver, a left-' hander who has twice won the tennis Grand Slam a feat unmatched. "It's one against the group just as before." "Rod and I have been playing together, traveling together practically living with each other since 1963 (when Layer turned pro)," Rosewall said.

"It's the same with a (Turn to Page 7, Column 1) KRAMER conspirators. A week after he was informed a two-state criminal investigation had led to the Vanderbilt weight room, Kramer put in place what he termed a "manageable" program, including random testing of athletes, to "control and eliminate" the usage of anabolic steroids by Vanderbilt student-athletes. Kramer in recent days has said he has no trouble presenting this group of football players as the finest student-athletes since he has been athletic director. a win over me Aioany xanxees uormeny Nashville Sounds) in the Eastern League. The Yanks had gotten off to a 4-0 start before running into Mitchell.

Older brother Charlie was also 1-0 with Pawtucket in the International League. Bob Melvin, the Sounds' "strong-arm, no- Chiefs Crown a Jewel In Blue Grass Stakes Win uui nan iiul viuy uu5(jiujcu suiiic power but ranks among the American Association's top hitters for average with a .371 mark through Wednesday's games. He was tied for the lead in home runs with four. The only other player listed among the league statistical leaders was pitcher Rich Monteleone with 14 strikeouts. The Sounds' team batting average of .245 ranked sixth, and the earned run average of 4.92 was fifth among the league's eight members.

One of the most popular Sounds in club history may have a homecoming May 28 when the Iowa Oaks, Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, visits Greer Stadium. Unless he is recalled by Chicago, Brian Dayett will be in the visiting dugout for Iowa after being sent hark tn thp mlnnre vmitonfav Orders was a distant fourth all the way around. MacBeth sent Chiefs Crown, owned by Star Crown Stable, through the first quarter in 24 25. He reached the half in 48 25 and the three quarters 1:12. The mile was caught in 1:35 45 and then he blasted the final eighth in 11 45 seconds.

The track record of 1:47 25 was set by Round Table under 126 pounds in the 1957 Blue Grass and equaled by Numbered Ac count, 119, in 1972, and Star Choice, 112, last' Oct. 6. Chiefs Crown carried 121 pounds as did the other three starters. The starters in the 1 14-mile Kentucky Derby will carry 126 pounds. Chiers Crown, who already is a millionaire, now has won nine of 12 career starts with two seconds.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) Chiefs Crown overwhelmed three other 3-year olds yesterday to win the Blue Grass Stakes. "He's a better horse when it's competitive," trainer Roger Laurin said after his horse made it a non-competitive race. The 1984 2-year-old champion, who now is unbeaten in three races this year, was in command all the way In winning the 1 Venule race in 1:47 35, just one-fifth of a second off the Keeneland track record. "Lovely, lovely, good race," Laurin said of his colt's final prep for the I Vi-mile Kentucky Derby May 4 for which he almost certainly will be the favorite.

"I'll leave that up to the public," Laurin said when asked if Chiefs Crown should be the Derby favorite, "but he's been a favorite with me for a long time." After crossing the finish line, 52 lengths Chiefs Crown, who won tile seven-furlong Swale and the 1 Vs-mile Flamingo in his two previous starts this year, earned $111,540 from the $171,600 gross purse and also picked up a $16,200 Breeders' Cup premium award. The winner paid $2.60. There was win betting only. Banner Bob, the winner of the 1 116 mile Jim Beam March 31, broke on top under Keith Allen but In just a few strides, Chiefs Crown took the lead and never surrendered it. Chiefs Crown led Banner Bob and Floating Reserve around the turn and down the backstretch, around the final turn and then pulled away.

Floating Reserve took the place away from Banner Bob in the final strides. Under In front of Floating Reserve, Chiefs Crown galloped out 1 Vt miles in 2:03 35. Floating Reserve finished a head in front of Banner Bob, who was 11 lengths in front of last-place Under Orders. Pat Day, who had a long distance view of the proceedings aboard Under Orders, who was never in the hunt, said, "The winner was impressive, Jerome "Bud" Samer, trainer of Banner Bob, also was very impressed with Chiefs Crown. Asked If he thought the colt could be beaten in the Derby, he said, "No.

He's got enough speed to stay out of trouble." Winning jockey Don MacBeth, who let Chiefs Crown run through the stretch but never went to the whip although he showed it to him a few times, said, "The main thing was not to test him. We know he can run. We just wanted to get him ready for the Derby," Dayett was sent down when outfielder Gary Woods, sidelined by a strained shoulder, was put back on the Cubs' active roster. Woods had been on the disabled list Dayett, who hit 34 homers for Nashville In 1982, was l-for-5 in his brief stay with the parent club..