The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 19

CO 1 s- The Beacon Journal Wednesday, September 28, 1994 Baseball In an effort to nudge owners, a House panel is expected to vote on a bill on baseball's antitrust exemption. Page CI College football In a scene straight from Hollywood, a freshman on Nebraska's scout team sees action Saturday. Page C2. Pro football The NFL is back in court with Cleveland bars, this time saying eight bars didn't buy a special Sunday ticket package. PageC3.

Prep football A look at happenings in area leagues, plus the latest statistics. Page C4. Basketball Baseball did it The NHL is making threats to do it And now the NBA players' union says the league could stage its own lockout Page C6. College football Northwestern hasn't beaten Ohio State in 18 attempts. It tries again Saturday.

Page C6. Mailt Bury A space shuttle will cany this man's concrete experiment. PageC7. I 1 I BUSINESS Trivia, Page 3 Horse racing, Page 5 Cavs' Larry Nance retires iievitelbte fit tot Bad knee too much for forward to beat Nance handles the end with his usual class if, mmmmmmmmmmMmxM.mmmmmmm.mmmim, mm wu nil jiiwii mwmmmmmm i tfi v. i IS 'A utft -4 Mia VT f- li if fili Larry Nance couldn't mention the R-word until yesterday.

"He just called it The Decision," his wife, Jaynee Nance, said. "Larry couldn't bring himself to talk about retiring." Yet yesterday at high noon, the best forward in the history of the Cavaliers said he was grounded, officially retired because of a right knee that told Nance that 13 years in the NBA were more than enough. The press conference was at the new Gund Arena, a place where Nance's No. 22 will hang from the rafters. But it's also a building where he will never play, a building that will never see him block 11 shots like he did one Saturday afternoon against New York dunk over 7-foot-6 Manute Bol or give his daughter Casey Marie a pregame, good-luck kiss.

"Larry kept saying this was no big deal, that there was no need for a press conference," Jaynee Nance said. "I told him, 'Right no big deal. All this does is change your He's fine now, but I know he'll get antsy once training camp starts and he's not there." That's because Nance never thought it would end like this. He began last season at the age of 34 the youngest 34 in the NBA, he liked to say. After all, he was an All-Star in February, 1993.

In October of last year, Nance was looking for a three-year contract extension. Worried about Nance's age, the Cavs put Nance's contract request on hold. Nance wasn't happy, but he figured he'd just play as he always had remember, this man blocked more shots than any forward in NBA history and the Cavs or some other team would sign him. Then his right knee buckled. He had surgery in early November.

"Maybe I tried to come back too soon," he said. There was more surgery on the See PLUTO, Page C8 Terry Pluto 3s -Xl LEW STAMPBeacon Journal Nance spent 13 years in the NBA. his tenure with Cleveland, lany Nance averaged points and 8.2 rebounds a game. He also blocked shots, second on the club's all-time list Nance also among the Cavaliers' career leaders in: By Sheldon Ocker Beacm Journal Mqff writer Larry Nance's decision to retire wasn't a decision at all, but rather an acceptance of the inevitable. In a National Basketball Association career that spanned 13 seasons, the most productive forward in Cavaliers history no longer can block shots and bury jumpers, the two skills for which he was best known.

Torn cartilage in Nance's right knee has ended his career at age 35 after six years with the Cavs. The announcement came yesterday during a news conference at Gund Arena in which reporters were outnumbered by Nance's teammates, club officials and front-office employees. "The knee is not good," Nance explained. "It felt all right for a while. I tried to go back on the court, but I couldn't do it.

So it's not a question of being able to play five, 10 or 15 minutes a game. "I guess the positive thing is that I have no regrets, because I know I can't play on it. I've done everything I could (in rehab), but it's just not meant to be." Nance won't play in the newly named Gund Arena that bears the name of the Cavaliers' owner and opens next month, but he will be a permanent part of the de cor. "Larry is a very special Cav," Gordon Gund said. "Our plan is to retire his No.

22 as of today. We will have a ceremony later in the year to raise the number." Nance managed a grin, saying: "I hope we can bring it down when little Lany grows up. I'd like to see him wear that number as a member of this team." That will take awhile. Nance's son, Larry, celebrated his first birthday Jan. 1.

Nance leaves the game with 15,687 points, a career scoring average of 17.1 points and a shooting percentage of 54.6. He also But then they put up a stone wall, indicating there is some kind of problem. "Brad's back is always a concern until he can get out there and play again," Coach Mike Fra-tello said. "That was part of the reason we signed (free agent) Michael Cage. We hope and want i Lany In 16.8 1,087 is wants to spend more time with his wife Back problems surface again for Cavs center Daugherty After missing final 29 games and playofls last season, center had a fine summer at least until recently Minntts played: 14,966 Field goals made: 2,945 FG attempted: 5,559 Free throws made: 1,364 FT attempted: 1,696 Points: 7,257 Total rebounds 3,561 Defensive rebounds: 2,494 Offensive rebounds: 1,067 Games played: 433 accumulated 7,352 rebounds, an average of eight per game, and a total of 2,027 blocked shots, ranking eighth all time and first among forwards.

"I always set goals for myself, and I reached a lot of them," Nance said. "Scoring 25,000 points was one that I didn't get. So I guess it wasn't meant to be." There are no statistics that measure leadership, but Nance made major contributions in that area. "When a new player came to See LARRY, Page C8 Brad back with us, but we also need to protect ourselves just in case." Before going out last Daugherty season, Daugnerty averaged 17 points and 10.2 rebounds. with the "original procedure." Everitt went down in his second consecutive game in the win over the Colts in Indianapolis on Sunday, but the Browns do not appear to be worried that the injury has worsened.

"It's the same," Byrne said. "It's a burner or pinched nerve." A burner usually results in a "burning or tingling sensation in the shoulder or arm when the neck is forced beyond the normal range of motion," according to the Professional Football Athletic Trainers guide on injuries. After coming out of Sunday's See Browns, Page C3 By terry Pluto Journal sports columnist All does not seem well with Brad Daugherty's back. It's not what the Cavs are say ROBIN WTTEK'Beacoo Journal and two children. playoffs because of two herniated discs in his back.

Rather than have surgery, Daugherty spent the summer in rehabilitation, hoping the back would heal on its own. Until yesterday, the Cavs had been giving positive reports on the five-time All-Star. JOCELYN Jounutf mhiiw111 i 4 A -Ui rj7: Beginning of NHL season about to be put on ice Everitt's saga proving to be pain in the neck Lany Nance, holding son, Lany ing about the center rather, what they don't say. "I had a good summer, working out and playing quite a bit of basketball," Daugherty said. "But terday after eight hours of bargaining, the longest session of the negotiations.

"We still have a lot of work to do, but I'm worried that time is getting short There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed" Bob Goodenow, executive director of the NHL Players Association, called the latest offering a variation on an old theme. "The proposal they have is unacceptable," Goodenow said. "In essence it caps salaries and that is a big problem for us. There are still big differences. As time goes on our position hardens." The revised proposal deals with See NHL, Page C6 then well, I can't talk about it now." Cavs general manager Wayne Embry said Daugherty "was under doctor's observation.

We're waiting to get all the reports in so that we can judge his progress." Daugherty missed the final 29 regular-season games and the BACK ATYA! Tallmadge's Melissa McKenna (21) tries to btock a shot against Copley's Denise Johns (7) during a Suburban League volleyball match last night at Copley. Tallmadge won to retain Its league lead. Story, Page C5. 'V Union rejects revised plan. Saturday's opening games are threatened AsaxiattdPnat Toronto.

With the season scheduled to start in four days and the players facing a lockout deadline, the NHL presented the union with a revised proposal yesterday aimed at saving opening day. The offer was immediately deemed "unacceptable" by the head of the players' union. "I wish I could say that we made a lot of progress but that hasn't been the case," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said yes More testing done on Browns center, but nothing is certain yet By Ed Meyer Beacon Journal sttf writer Browns center Steve Everitt had another diagnostic test at the Cleveland Clinic yesterday. Everitt, who apparently has a pinched nerve in his neck, underwent a series of tests at the clinic on Monday. Browns vice president Kevin Byrne said a test had to be retaken because team physician Dr.

John Bergfeld was not pleased.