Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York • Page 25

1 P-n CLUB DAY OF CHAMPIONS 5D DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE. ROCHESTER. TUESDAY. Green's success with Syracuse proved there's no place like home 1 FEBRUARY 4. 1986 at me, football-wise," Green said.

Bill Polian, the Buffalo Bills' new general manager, said that Green's performance was impressive. Timmy came out of the combine with glowing grades," Polian said. "Myself, I think he'll play middle linebacker in the pros. The player he most reminds me of is (Denver Broncos inside linebacker Kurt) Mecklenburg." Green has heard some other names associated with his style of play. "Andre Tippett of the Patriots, Fred Dean, Harry Carson, Lawrence Taylor," Green said.

"Middle linebacker is the position I hear most often when they think I can best utilize my attributes of quickness and pursuit of the football, but I know that I can play the line, too. "As some people put it to me, I'll be a hybrid. That means in passing situation, I'll be a down lineman." Green said the pro people he's seen the most and who have expressed the most interest in him are the Giants, Patriots, Redskins, 49ers, Broncos, Bills and ing its day to later in February. "We don't think the move would affect sports like golf," Guilfoyle said. "But the week we usually have the dinner the NFL) Pro Bowl is the day before and those guys aren't going to leave Hawaii, and I can't blame them.

Mom stands in again Another celebrity unable to travel to Rochester was Williamson's Diann Roffe, the first two-time recipient of the sports woman of the year award. She should have been in Europe skiing in World Cup events, but instead is in Colorado recovering from knee surgery. "I'd really rather have her here to accept this award," Kay Roffe said after standing in for her 18-year-old daughter a second time. "This surgery (the fourth in 25 months) has been much rougher and more painful on her. We're not sure when she's going to be back in competition." Roffe, the reigning World Alpine Championships giant slalom titlist, became only the second repeat winner in eight years of honoring women at the luncheon.

Nazareth's Sandra Schcncke was the college athlete in 1979 and 1980. Horton narrowing choices East High junior Lisa Horton will be doing some traveling of her own this spring, visiting three Division I campuses before deciding on a college. Horton, whose performances in track and field earned the high school girl athlete of the year award, spent a weekend at Penn State last fall. She said she will visit Pittsburgh, Florida State and Louisiana State before picking a school. "I'm not sure if I want to go too far away," said Horton, who last year won state titles in the outdoor and indoor seasons.

"I'm interested in a school more for its outdoor program." Horton and Roffe were honored at the luncheon along with Rcnee Schmitt of the University of Rochester (college woman athlete) and Batavia High Athletic Director Nancy Viola (Jean Giambrone Award). Olympics 'once-in-a-lifetime' Bud Greenspan, the outstanding film producer who was a guest at the dinner, is excited over the fact that his epic film of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Sixteen Days of Glory, is being released to theaters across the nation in a month by Paramount Pictures. "It's a feature film documentary that will run two hours and 20 minutes in the theaters and five hours when it's released to television next September," Greenspan said. "In June, we will have a video cassette available of it." Greenspan called the Olympics "a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I thought I had done everything in my life, but it turned out I hadn't." The film, which encompassed 2'n years of Greenspan's life, beginning a year before the Games, cost $4 million to produce as a million feet of film were shot by 20 camera crews.

The biggest problem in editing? "It wasn't what you put in," Greenspan said, "but what you leave out" Rochester's been 'education' Six years ago, as Bill Pucko prepared his first sportscast for WHEC-TV (Channel 10), network coverage of a live event pushed his debut back from 6 to 7 p.m. "It's a good thing I had that extra hour, because I never would have made it otherwise," Pucko, 33, said after accepting the Lowell MacMillan Award for excellence in broadcasting. "That first show was a real education." Since moving to Rochester from White River Junction, Vt, Pucko has become a solid backup for Rich Funke, a four-time MacMillan recipient. "In fact, Rich wanted to be the one to tell me that I'd won this," Pucko said. "He called me at home on a day off.

After he told me I'd won the MacMillan, I said, now really, why did you "When I first came here, I thought it would be great to win this because guys like Simeon Smith and Rich Funke had won it," he said. "But I never considered that I'd win it, because they have so much more polish than I do." Best quotes Toastmaster Jerry Flynn, on Martin's managerial troubles: "The problem with Billy is he's a perfectionist. If he were married to Raquel Welch, he would expect her to cook." Yankees announcer Bill White, on seeing friends in Rochester: "It's always a pleasure to see Ken Kaiser, one of the worst umpires in the American League. The last time I saw Ken and Billy together, they were kicking dirt at each other." Flynn again, on the 300-pound Kaiser: "It's a damn shame they gave that refrigerator tag to someone else first." Raiders. And he said he's still interested in going to Oxford even though he was bitterly disappointed late year when he was not awarded a Rhxles Scholarship.

"But the way I understand it," said the English Literature major with a 3.8 (out of a possible 4.0) grade point average, "it's very difficult for an American to get accepted at Oxford without a Rhodes Scholarship. So I'll probably apply at some American law schxls Syracuse, Harvard, Stanford, Virginia. I figure, why not shoot for the top? I'm not certain that's what I want to do, but I want to keep as many options as possible available to me." Between the football and academic demands on his life, one option that may not be available to Green is the option to sit down and relax. "I will le glad to put the suitcase under my bed for one final time," he said of the last two hectic months, "but when I think alxut it, I don't know if that'll happen for the rest of my life." Cervi collects coveted honor from P-R Club FROM PAGF 1D Coca-Cola presented Cervi with a check for $5,000, which he turned over to his favorite charities: $1,000 each to the School of the Holy Childhood, the Jewish Community Center, Al Sigl Center, St Joseph's Villa and Camp Good Days and Special Times. Cervi is only the second basketball player (Roosevelt Bouie of Syracuse was the first in 1979) in the 37 -year history of the dinner to be honored, but don't worry about Al feeling out of place.

He in better company, in fact. After all, 17 of the former hon-orees were baseball players. Not surprisingly, Al was talking baseball again yesterday. He pulled up a chair alongside Martin and Altobelli at an afternoon press conference at Al Cervi the Genesee Plaza Holiday Inn and held his own with the two baseball raconteurs. Cervi goes back to spring trainings long before even Billy and Alto were in uniform.

Al was just 17, a kid out of Buffalo, when he had his first crack at showing off his rocket arm. He was a shortstop-centerfielder, and he loved to throw the ball and roam the field. But in that first spring training with the old Washington Senators in Barnville, S.C., in 1935, Cervi blew out his arm. He gave baseball one last shot after the war, in 1945, with the Pirates. "But my arm was shot, and I knew it," he said.

"That's when I realized I'd better get back to basketball." Baseball may have been his love. But basketball was his game. He was an all-city player at East High in Buffalo. But he didn't pursue the sport seriously until after the Senators sent him home, sore-armed and all. He started playing semi-pro basketball in Buffalo, and later joined the Bisons of the old National Basketball League.

That's how he first met Les Harrison, the man who brought pro basketball, and Al Cervi, to Rochester. "Les owned the old Rochester Seagrams," Al started, "and we played them in the late '30s. Well, in the third period, I must have made a play that impressed him, because Les got off the bench, stopped the game and walked right out onto the floor to me. He pinched my cheek, and said, 'Kid, from now on, you're on my That's how I joined Les." The rest wasn't just history. It was two points.

And two more points. And a couple NBL championships. Cervi was all-pro five consecutive years for the Royals, and led them to titles in 1946 and 1947. He left the club in 1948, won a National Basketball Association title as coach of the Syracuse Nationals in 1955, and coached the Philadelphia Warriors in 1957-58 before retiring. He lives in Brighton these days, and still runs a summer basketball camp at Hobart.

The Personality of the Year award surprised him, and gratified him. "What do you say at 69?" Cervi said. "I've had everything happen to me in the last year. I thought the Hall of Fame had passed me by, then Dan Guilfoyle (P-R Club president) called me and said I won this award. 'Won I said.

I'm really so pleased and very grateful to the people in Rochester." The 6-foot-0 Cervi still has that two-handed set shot, but he doesn't watch much pro basketball these days. "It bores me," he said. "The teams are too big and unbalanced, that's the problem with pro basketball today. They're going with size and I don't understand it. The little man creates.

He's the thinker. He controls things. He's the one who talks to the coach. Basketball is every man's game, the little man, too. The game has to bring speed back into it.

I still say they ought to make a rule forcing every team to carry two players 6-1 or under. That would bring the small man back." In Rochester, at least, the little man is back. 4 1 frJ ia nelius Southall and (originally) Utica Notre Dame's Byron Abraham (both Notre Dame) headed for the Midwest while Elmira's Pete Curkendall packed his bags and headed south for Penn State. So Scharr's decision to join Syracuse can be looked upon as a breakthrough, just as Green's decision was hailed that way four years ago. Except that Green thinks Scharr's breakthrough will be more significant.

Tim Green "It shows where the program is," Green said yesterday. "Now if we make more progress next season and go to another bowl, we'll get to keep more and more people around. We've got to keep showing progress." Green says that he doesn't think he influenced Scharr's decision to stay home. vV If mm v. Billy Martin WIIWilll.ll.lWMlWliMl,wt,wiw,uilyi,,,i Jo Jo White AWARD WITHERS Sports Personality Award Former Rochester Royals standout and 1985 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Al Cervi.

Major Don Holleder Award 1958 Heisman Trophy winner Pete Dawkins for "highest level of sportsmanship, character, courage and achievement consistent with the name and ideals of Major Holleder. Morrie Silver Award WVOR and WHAM's Jack Palvino, for "promoting local sports." Local pro athlete Golfer Jeff Sluman, who earned $100,523 on the PGA Tour last year. Local amateur athlete Swimmer Rick Aronberg, who won four gold medals and one silver at the Maccabiah Games in July. Charlie Wagner Award Wolfe Publications' Tom Murphy, for excellence in sports writing. Lowell MacMillan Award Channel 10's Bill Pucko, for excellence in sports broadcasting.

Sports woman of the year World champion skier Diann Roffe of Williamson. College woman athlete of the year University of Rochester's Renee Schmitt, Championship in Houston and the Women's Open in Dayton, Ohio." Billy a little late Former baseball manager Billy Martin, looking haggard, arrived at the afternoon press conference almost an hour late. Besides behind schedule, he was also behind in reading his newspapers. Martin refused comment on a story in Sunday's The New York Times stating the New York Yankees, Martin's former team, rejected a trade that would have sent Don Baylor to the California Angels for Reggie Jackson. "I really haven't seen the papers," Martin said.

"I don't have any comment." Martin, fired by the Yankees at the end of last season, said he will spend spring training in Arizona, scouting players in the Cactus League. Sill wins one, loses one The nation's bowling writers voted Aleta Sill the 1985 player of the year on the Ladies Pro Bowlers Tour. But that wasn't the view of her contemporaries, who picked 17-year veteran Patty Cos-tello. "There's been a few hard feelings be 1 -ft i lii i fin 1 1 An mm i mmmJmm at imtm i Says Scharr's choice boosts Orangemen By Frank Bilovskv Democrat and Chronicle There was a bit of irony to the fact that Syracuse University's All-America defensive tackle Tim Green was in the Rochester area for yesterday's Press-Radio Club Day of Champions. After all.

Green's visit came less than a week after Canandaigua's Bill Scharr had declared his intentions to become a part a ne Semen's football program. The All-State quarterback was a rarity, a royal biue-chipper from Upstate New York who stayed home to play for SU. In fact, it can be argued that the last one before Scharr was Green, who came out of Liverpool High with the potential for greatness that was actualized in four seasons under head Coach Dick Mac-Pherson and assistant George 01ary. In between, Liverpool's J. Grant (Michigan), Rush-Henrietta Sperry's Cor UOTEDQOK Bills to conduct spring workout at Rochester site By Greg Boeck, Brett Avery and Frank Bilovsky Democrat and Chronicle The National Football League is coming to town.

For one day. In an effort to market the Buffalo Bills in all of Western New York, particularly here, owner Ralph Wilson will bring his team to Rochester in early May for a one-day mini-camp workout "Mr. Wilson has committed to marketing the club in western New York, particularly the Rochester area," new General Manager Bill Polian said yesterday during the Rochester Press-Radio Club's Day of Champions. "So we're going to bring the mini-camp to Rochester, probably Sunday, May 10." A site has not been determined. Polian said all rookies and most veterans, including running back Greg Bell, will attend.

A two-hour practice followed by an autograph session is scheduled. The Bills' appearance is part of an on-and off-field plan to rekindle interest in a team that has plummeted to back-to-back 2-14 seasons. "If I wasn't convinced we could turn it around, I wouldn't have taken the job," said Polian. "Besides, if the team had made the Super Bowl the job wouldn't have opened up." On the field, Polian said the Bills mainly need to draft help in the offensive line and at fullback. "We need a power fullback," he said, "and a better running game." What others think the Bills need more is a quarterback.

But don't count on Jim Kelly showing in Orchard Park soon. Kelly, a 1983 draft choice of the Bills who turned instead to the United States Football League, remains under contract with the Houston Gamblers. The USFL's antitrust suit against the NFL is scheduled to start March 17, but Polian said even if the USFL loses in court and folds, the Bills are not guaranteed anything. "Kelly does not have approval to get out of his contract," said Polian. "They (USFL) want him in their league.

It's a question of the suit and the contract That ties our hands. We're incapable of doing or saying anything. "Besides, it's wrong for fans and us to keep looking over the horizon for the knight in shining armor to show up. We have two young players in Bruce Mathi-son and Frank Reich and we're going to give them a chance. With Joe Ferguson a Bill for so long, Western New York never had to go through the growing pains of a roookie quarterback.

We've got to commmit to one of them." Jo Jo: Pearl not ready Former Boston Celtics great Jo Jo White, now a players' agent working out of Rochester, has watched Syracuse play this season, and he doesn't think Pearl Washington is ready for the National Basketball Association. There has been talk Washington will opt for the pros after this season, his third under the Carrier Dome. "I don't think he's ready," White said. "He has pro presence, but physically he's not in top condition. There's a question condition-wise.

You're talking about going from 30, 35 games to 82. He has the skills and the talent, but he's just not ready. He needs more consistency." Nor is White sure the Orangemen are a Final Four candidate. "They're missing something," he said. "Some depth.

Some consistency. They really haven't been tested yet The jury is still out." No longer anonymous Life became hectic for Kathy Baker last July 14. That was the day the Albany native, 24, made the 33rd U.S. Women's Open her first victory on the Ladies Professional Golf Association. "The day after the Open, I said to myself, 'This is great, but what will it do to my Baker said.

"I can't go to a tournament now and be the anonymous player I was." Instead, she spends hours each week granting interviews for the media and signing autographs. To prepare for the crush of the 1986 season, Baker will skip the first three events before starting her third season Feb. 20 in Phoenix, Ariz. And she plans to miss this summer's $255,000 Rochester International. "They moved a couple of tournaments around this year, and I need to take a week off somewhere in there," said Baker, who tied for 14th last year at Locust Hill Country Club.

The International is two weeks before the Mazda Hall of Fame "I met Bill and I spoke at his football banquet this year," Green said, "but I think all the credit for recruiting him has to go to the coaching staff. When I talked to him, I understood the kind of pressure he was under, so I didn't try to add to it I just tried to be friendly with him." Mark that down as a first Tim Green being around a quarterback and not trying to pressure him. Even his former roommate, Todd Norley, used to feel the wrath of the Green rush at practice. And next it will be the professional quarterbacks who will suffer under Green's pass rush, except that the rush is most likely to come from another defensive position. Green, who has been all over the country in the last two months, returned to Syracuse less than two weeks ago after taking part in the National Football League scouting combine at New Orleans before the Super Bowl.

In it, potential draftees are run through a series of tests to determine their athletic ability. "I think I caught everything they threw t' Bud Greenspan ftMd Holtmtn Democrat and Chronicle Aleta Sill who won the NCAA Division III heptathlon championship last spring. High school girl athlete of the year East's Lisa Horton, who won state track championships in the 100- and 200-meter dashes outdoors and the 300-meter dash indoors. Jean Giambrone Award Batavia athletic director Nancy Viola, for "lifetime commitment to women's sports." Elliott Cushing Award Former major-league baseball player John Antonelli, for "sports personality of yesteryear who best demonstrated dedication and contributions to a team sport." Matt Jackson Award Former Rochester Royals basketball standout and current coach of St. John Fisher basketball Bob Wanzer, for "Rochester-area person who has done the most to promote his or her sport over a period of years." Al Weber Award Amateur golfer Don Allen, for "sports personality of yesteryear who best demonstrated dedication and contributions to a non-team sport." Eddie Meath Community Service Award Gene Sweney.

tween us on tour," Sill said three days before the Bowling Writers Association of America planned to announce its selection. "But the stats back me up. I've been number one in everything. The only thing Pattv tied me in was victories (three)." Thorpe stays on West Coast Heavy rains that washed out play Friday in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in California also swept away any chances of having Buffalo pro golfer Jim Thorpe, considered one of the better attractions, attend the day's activities. "Obviously we're pleased for him that he was able to make the cut," said Press-Radio Club President Dan Guilfoyle.

"We're sorry that the rain kept him from coming here, but there's not much we could do." Also unable to make the dinner was Jeff Sluman, the first golfer named local pro athlete of the year after becoming the first Rochesterian to collect more than $100,000 in official earnings on the PGA tour in a season. Sluman also made the final round at the which was eventually washed out a second time. While it cannot control weather, Guilfoyle said the club is discussing mov -v I.