St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 32

4C June 14, 1974 ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH Table Hockey Czar Predicts 'Miniature freaks' Will Grow amateurs) until it bangs into the net behind the opposition goalie. Friedman, though, has refined his game table for PTHA purposes by waxing the to keep the surface smoother and narrowing the nets to cut down on scoring. His own team in neighborhood leagues has been the Philadelphia Flyers and Friednian has played the game to the hilt by putting numbers on the back of each of his players and even scrawling a beard on hairy right winger Bill Flett. During his early days of table hockey, Friedman, seeking a psychological advantage, would come to a game on roller skates, bedecked in a Flyers jersey and a goalie's mask.

"I'd have two goals before they figured out what had happened," he said proudly. "Now, I'm so goodjt doesn't matter," At an exhibition session at the Chase Park-Plaza, Friedman kept the mask and jersey on a hanger next to the table as he scored five unanswered goals and casually disposed of a frantic lever-snapping reporter. Friedman has had to endure such tests of manhood throughout the country on his promotional tour. At the Hartford (Conn.) Courant, he spent il2 hours in the office lunchroom fending off all comers. As commissioner of the PTHA tour which opens in September, Friedman, the nation's second-ranked player, will be ineligible to compete.

"That doesn't bother me," he said. "There are players who haven't come out of the woodwork who are probably better than I am. By the end of this year, I'll be obsolete anyway." Friedman hopes his job won't be. Right now, it's the only one he has. I I I vvi 4 1 'ftl 6) I I 1 1 im By Rick Hummel Of Hie Post-Dispatch Staff What with such household sports terms as WFL, WTT, NASL, SCCA, WBA, et al, floating about, one would think there wouldn't be room for even one more abbreviation In the alphabet soup that is professional sports.

Then along comes PTHA, which Is not to be confused with PTA, or FHA or PDQ. PTHA, the Professional Table Hockey Association, Is the brainchild of Melvin Friedman of New York City. It was born somewhat out of despair. Until last December, the 28-year-old Friedman was part-owner of a ready-to-wear garment business. "I had spent a great deal of my life trying to get material goals," said Friedman.

"But I wasn't satisfied. I found out I wasn't very happy." In a similar feeling of depression, Friedman had begun to play table hockey about three years earlier. "I'd just gotten a divorce," he said. "Then a friend of mine introduced me to table hockey. He showed me how to make my first play.

He showed me how to make my first goal. Before you know it, I was starting a league." When Friedman despaired enough to sell his business last fall, he took the only outlet he knew to real happiness: table hockey. From his exposure to tournaments across the country, Friedman discovered that there were scads of miniature hockey freaks. However, there wr almost as many diffrnt game surfaces and rules, making a national championship difficult to conduct. Friedman decided to standardize all of table hockey by forming an association.

In the first three months of its existence, nearly 3000 persons signed up at $5 a head (Box 2836, Grand Central Station, New York 10017). Next, he got the financial backing of a group of California and New York businessmen who went by the exotic name of Twenty-first Century Hockey, Limited and, sacre bleu, another professional, sports tour. PTHA will stage nine regular tournaments in 1974-75, one of them in St. Louis Nov. 15-17, and PTHA members have an opportunity to win some $55,000 in prize money.

A Tournament of Champions will be held in May at the end of the season. "Seven months ago, people told me this was just all a dream," said Friedman. "Nobody's laughing now. I get 500 pieces of mail a week on this." But, skeptics must ask, don't grown men and women have something better to do with their time like painting the back fence or planting dahlias? "This is no joke," said Friedman. "There's hundreds of thousands of armchair coaches across the country who want to have some contact with hockey.

I feel that our game best mimics the sport. You show me an electric football game that can do what our game does." A table hockey game has 10 skaters and two goalies, each of whom moves in an assigned groove via levers in either the offensive or defensive zone. The puck, a block of wood a little smaller than a checker, is then batted about (wildly by cool it with a e' 1 I Pro Wrestling (Tonight's St. Louis Wrestling Club program, Kiel Auditorium, 8:30 P.m.) Main Event (for world heavyweight championship as recognized by National Wrestling Alliance) lack Brlsco, 236, Black well, 0Ma vi. Dory Punk 242, Amarlllo, Tex.

(two-out-of-three (alls, one-hour limit). Finale (Auatrallan tag team match) Harley Race, 247, Kansas City; Roger Klrby, 23T. Chattanooga, and Lord Alfred Hayes, 240, England, vs. Bono Braill, 276, Benton Harbor, Ruful R. Jones, 270, Boston, and Pat O'Connor, 235, New Zealand (one fall to finish).

Fourth Match Olant Baba, 314, Japan, vs, Dick Murdock, 236, Texarkana, Tex. (one fall, 30-mlnute limit). Third Match Cowboy Bob Ellis, 245, Ban Angelo, vs. Big Bill Miller, 290, Columbus, 0. (one fall, 20-minute limit).

Second Match Kim Duk, 240, Korea, vs. Sailor Art Thomas, 262, Madison, Wis. (one fall, 20-mln-ute limit). Opening Bout (Australian tag team match) Bobby Bald Eagle, 233, Lone Wolf, and Ronnie Etchlson, 240, St, Joseph va, Don Fargo, 240, Chattanooga, and Ren. Ooulet, 244, France (two-out-of-three folia, 30-minute limit), 1 Me Friedman at work and play Post-Dispatch Photo by Lloyd E.

Spainhower) (P AIR CONDITIONER AT FIRESTONE DEALERS STORES Block O' Fallon Trips On East Peoria tumbling Phegley Fever Get better gas mileage O'FAIXOX ABRH M'rylb-p 4 0 0 EAST PBXMUA AH KH Solomon, 3 12 3 0 0 3 0 Cooley cf Tapp 3b Jonei si Stroh lb Del'vcho Curran rf Schmt D-cf Douma 2 0 0 3 0 0 2 2 2 2 0 1 3 1 4 1 0 a 0 Shirk pr Tellor lb Phegley 2 Holland If 3 Danlela 2b 3 0 0 0 Bowmn nr Orcliof-ph 10 0 Wagner Jb 0 0 BiMchmn 2 Frilling 2b 3 Gannon If 2 1 Bainrf 2 0 ters. In the second inning, when the Panthers tallied their first run on a triple by Steve Curran and a single by Randy Schmittling, Phegley could have been in worse trouble. There were runners on first and second with one out when he induced Paul Buschmann to bounce into a double play. In the fourth, when O'Fallon scored its other run on a single by Curran, a walk to Schmittling and a single by Duane Daniels, there were runners on second and third with two outs when Buschmann went down on a called third strike. All this came as no surprise to East Peoria coach Fritz Millard, of course.

"I was going with that young lad out there all the way," said Millard. "He was the one who got us here." And, In fact, Phegley was the one who brought East Peoria all of four miles across the Illinois River to the finals at Meinen Field. With the help of rain delays and a staggered tournament schedule, he hurled and won each of the eight games necessary to bring the Red Raiders to last night's title game. O'Fallon's ace, Buschmann, did not start yesterday's game. That fact created a field day for the second-guessers in the crowd.

Even though Buschmann had had two days' rest (the same as Phegley) since hurling O'Fallon's quarterfinal victory over Anna-Jonesboro, Henson selected his No. 2 pitcher, Schmittling, to start the contest. Schmittling was batted around for three hits and three runs in the first inning that also included two walks. Buschmann came on to work the final six innings and surrendered only one run on four hits. Did Henson regret, the choice of starters? "We would have been all right if Randy had had his control," said Henson.

"He was just too strong. He hadn't started in a while and his pitch-es were up." "Both Randy and Paul got us here. They both deserved to start." 11 Henson pointed to the second-inning double play as the key play in the game. "That, took us out of a good inning," he said. Then he pondered the Schmittling-Buschmann decision again.

"I guess you have to wonder how it would have been if we'd gone the other way," he said. "But how can you second guess yourself? That's just baseball. "Rick Murray had something like an 18- or 20-game hitting streak before the tournament. And he didn't have a hit in either of the last two games. Curran and (Duane) Daniels are hitting down in the middle of the lineup and they looked like the best hitters on the team.

(Each had two hits). You just don't know about baseball." The one thing Henson knew was that his season was over. After 22 victories, six losses and a handful of rain delays, the best season In the Panthers' history had come to an end.4 A 6-foot-5 inch stumbling block saw to that. By Tom Barnidge Of the Post-Dispatch Staff PEORIA, 111., June 14 O'Fallon's Panthers had overcome rain delays and game relocations. They had survived well-rested pitchers and impressive opponents.

But then, as the long-awaited Illinois high school baseball finals outwaited the weather yesterday, they ran into Roger Phegley. "He's a big, strong boy," said O'Fallon coach Galen Henson. "What is he, 6-foot-5 or so?" Yesterday, Phegley was a 6-fooMi-inch stumbling block. The big righthander with the sweeping curve and the sneaky fast ball was the end of the line for O'Fallon as It bowed to East Peoria, 4-2, in a state semifinal contest. However, the end of the line for Phegley and East Peoria came last night.

Appearing in relief, Phegley wild-pitched home the winning run in the last of the eighth inning as Glenbrook North scored a 4-3 victory. Glenbrook North, which had toppled Thornton of Harvey, 6-5, in the other semifinal, became the sixth straight Chicago-area school to win the state championship. After the East Peoria-O'Fallon game, Phegley said, "I really didn't feel that good. The ball wasn't popping until the last couple innings. It popped well enough to frustrate each of O'Fallon's first four hitters, though (The top of the lineup went 0-for-ll against Phegley).

And it popped well enough to avert two potential disas Totala 25 4 8 Total! 25 2 5 EAST PF.KOniA 300 001 04 O'fAIXOX 010 100 0 il RBI Tellor 2, Solomon, Schmittling. Danleli. Stroh. Left East Peoria 7, O'Fallon 5. DP East Peoria 1, 2B Tellor, Oannon.

3B Curran. SB Solomon, Bowman, Daniels. 8 Cooley, Tellor, Bain. BP Solomon. IF HR CHBBS0 Phegley (W, 12-2) 7 5 2 2 2 9 Schmittling (L.8-3) Ml 3 3 3 2 0 Murray 1 0 0 0 1 Buichmann 0 4 1117 Umpire! Bob Heartii, Al Soheel, Bill Crliwell.

1:49. A 2600. CHAMPIONSHIP GAME EAST PEORIA 100 001 103 0 1 (iLEN BROOK NORTH 021 000 014 4 3 Cooley, Solomon (3), Phegley (7) and Douglaa. Oovercla, Sanderson (7) and Qulgley. Sanderson (9-2).

Phegley (12-3) Amateur Tennis 'lit area sports schedule Division Lead At Stake As Stars Face Tornado 8T. LOUIS DISTRICT TENNIS ASSOCIATION NOVICE TOURNAMENT At Dwlgnt Davis Tennis Center BOVS 12 DOUBLES FINALS Steve Wall and John O'Bhaughnesjy defeated Dan Hebrlnk and Steve Dtp-pold, 6-4, 7-5. GIRLS 16 SINGLES FINAL Joan Magulre defeated Dana Hawkins, 6-4, 6-3. GIRLS 12 SINGLES FINAL Kathy Foxworth defeated Melissa Blount, 8-6, 6-4. OIRLB 12 DOUBLES FINAL Kathy Foxworth and Melissa Blount defeated Barbara Barnes and Jay Benedict, 6-1.

8-1. best-known player in the league. During the 1973 season, Rote led the NASL in scoring with 30 points (10 goals and 10 assists) and was named the league's rookie of the year. He was the first American player to win both honors. Earlier this year, Rote gained nationwide fame when he won the ABC-TV Superstars competition against outstanding athletes from other sports.

This season, Rote, the leading Dallas scorer, has 10 points with four goals and two assists in eight games. Al Trost tops the Stars' scoring statitstics with 12 points on five goals and two assists In eight games. Tomorrow night will be team photo night. Each youngster accompanied by a paid admission will receive a color team photo of the Stars. Women's Golf AT GHEKXBRIAR Two-day Medal Tournament: First flight Lorralno Scott, 76; Second Flight Louann Vow, 77; Third Flight Doris Meyer, 83.

A few real facts about your future. i You know you have the ability. You want the chance to put it together, The Navy is a good place to start, You have over 70 career fields to choose from and you can learn one of over 300 different skills. And you get on-the-job training to go with your classroom work. And you get paid while you're learning.

Of course, you have to earn it, You have to measure up to high Navy standards and show a willingness to do your share of the housekeeping chores. But when you're finished, you're ready to make it with a career. in the Navy or somewhere else later on, The opportunity is for and so are we. If you can deal with Call 268-6888 TODAY Park, St. Charles, 8:30 p.m.

Manchester vs. Ballwln, Ballwln Park, 8:30 p.m. Creve Couer vs. Oardenvllle-Affton, Bayless High School, 5 m. Ferguson vs.

Pine Lawn-Normandy, Forestwood Park, Ferguson, 8:30 p.m. City of Nt. Louis Anheuser-Busch vi. Mathews-Dickey, Carondelet No. 1, 5:30 p.m.

Stockham vs. Europa, Forest Park No. 3, 5:30 p.m. Thoroughbred Racing Falrmount Park meeting, Cahokla Downs, 7:45 p.m. Track Open meet for men and women, 1 p.m., and men's decathlon, 10 a.m., Florissant Valley Community College.

Soccer Stars vs. Dallas, Busch Stadium, 8:03 p.m. Motor Sports Stock car racing, Highland Speedway, time trials, 7 p.m., and racing, 9 p.m. Stock car racing, Rolla Speedway, time trials, 7 p.m., and racing, 8 p.m. Swimming Carondelet YMCA age group and open meet, Marquette Pool, 9:30 a.

m. Tennis Municipal Tennis Association Father-Son and Parent-Child tournaments, Dwlght Davis Tennis Center, Forest Park, 9 a.m Handball Forest Park Handball Club Fair St. Louis tournament. Forest Park handbill courts, 9 a.m. Rugby Missouri Rugby Football Union, Fair St.

Louis tournament, 8:05 p.m. Davis rugby fields, Forest Park, 11 a.m. The Stars will be trying to tighten their grip on the Central Division lead and avenge an early-season defeat when they meet the Dallas Tornado in a North American Soccer League game tomorrow night at 8:05 in Busch Stadium. John Sewell's kickers moved past Dallas in the Central Division with a 2-1 victory over the Toronto Metros Wednesday night. The victory was worth eight points to the Stars (six for winning and one for each goal), giving them 34 points far the season, three more than Dallas.

Denver, the other Central Division team, has 19 points. In the first game on the Stars' 1974 NASI schedule, they traveled to Dallas and lost a 2-1 decision to the Tornado. Leading the Dallas attack is Kyle Rote probably the Today Baseball Cardinals at Atlanta, 6:30 p.m. Mathewa-Dlckey Boy Club benefit game, Mathews-Dickey Knights vs. Economy Collegians, Heine Melne Field, Lemay, 8 p.m.

(pre-game ceremonlps, 7:30 p.m.). AMERICAN I.K(.10N (M. Umla County Manchester vs. Maplewood, Webster Groves Memorial Park, 8 p.m. Crestwood vs.

Ballwln, Ballwln Park, 8:30 p.m. University City vs. Glasgow Village, St. Ann Park, 8:15 p.m. Illinois District 22 Venice-Madison vs.

Alton, Alton High School, 6 p.m. Colllnsvllle vs. Belleville, Citizen's Park, Belleville, 6 p.m. East St. Loula vs.

Edwardsvllle, Le- clalre Field, Edwardsvllle, 8 p.m. Pro Wrestling St. Louis Wrestling Club program, Kiel Auditorium, 8:30 p.m. Thoroughbred Racing Falrmount Park meeting, Cahokla Downs, 7:45 p.m. Swimming Carundelet YMCA age group and open meet, Marquette Pool, 6:30 p.m.

Motor Sports Stock car racing, Belleclalr Speedway, time trials, 7:30 p.m., and racing, 8:30 p.m. Stock car racing, Trl-Clty Speedway, Granite City, time trials, 7 p.m., and racing, 8 p.m. Motorcycle motocrom, Sur-Foot Motorcycle Club, Imperial, 8 p.m. Golf St. Louis Women's District Golf Association tournament, Westwood Country Club.

Tennis Municipal Tennis Association father-son and parent-child tournaments, Dwlght 'Davis Tennl! Center, Forest Park. Rugby Missouri Rugby Football Union Fair St. Louis tournament, Davis rugby fields, Forest Park, 6 p.m. Ziegenhein Gains Marre Cup Final TO PLACE A WANT AD CALL 621-6666 CHARGE IT! ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH Ziegenhein, a 7-2 victor over Magee Stags last night, meet Kutis Sunday for the title in the Marre Cup tournament of soccer champions.

The championship contest has been tentatively scheduled for noon at Davis Field in Forest Park. Last night at Forest Park, Jim Pollihan scored three goals and Frank Gallo, DanBokern, Sal Gallo and Mike Weaver one each for Ziegenhein, the CYC champs, as they eliminated the Stags, the Khoury League titlist. Sean McManus and Mike Ea-gan scored for the losers. Saturday Which Biccrdi for Baseball II fipr 1 I 1 in motion filHiiflilfi M'aaViJi Mlad 3 TjS'j a DdLdrui iigm SsSTTite il turn's, euhtla IK lull" IV. flavor won't I TONIGHT 6:30 P.M.

overpower or net lost in 1 Cardinals at Atlanta, 6:30 p.m. ST. LOUIS COU.NTY LEAGUE St, Louis University vs. Fenton Vets, Meramec Community College, Klrk- wood, 1 p.m. St.

Loula University vs. Qlesler- Jorgen, Meramec Community College, Kirk wood, 3 m. Borbeln-Voung vs. Clayton Shaw Park, Clayton, 1 p.m. St.

Charles Capitals vs. McBrlde ft Son, Shaw Park, Clayton, 3 p.m. HK1YE MKINJi LEAGUE iBYCO Hl-Jackers vs. Pirates, Harris Teachers College, noon. Harris Teachers College vs, Mathews-Dickey Knights, Harris Teachers College, 3 p.m.

NONLEAOCB Southern Illinois Unlverslty-Edwarda- vllle at Valrneyer (2), 1 p.m. AMKHICAN LEGION Illinois District Alton vs. Highland, Highland High School, 2 p.m. Granite City vs. O'Fallon, O'Fallon Park, 8 p.m.

SI. Louis County Brentwood vs. Fenton, Heine Melne Field, Lemay, 8:30 p.m. Cecil Rltdiey vs. Maryland Heights, Maryland Heights Park, 8 p.m.

Olasgow Village vs. Thoman Boothe, ABC Park, St, Ann, 8:30 p.m. Berkeley vs. St. Charles, Blanchettel RlnrvHu Mime Play-by-play: JAY RANDOLPH JACK BUCK Analysis.

MIKE SHANNON ST. LOUIS CARDINALS vs. ATLANTA BRAVES Martinis or tonic. Just use it like gin or vodka. nail llfv MEDICATED SPRAY POWDER BACARDlum.

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