Statesman Journal from Salem, Oregon • Page 50

Page 4E BASEBALL Statesman Journal, Salem, Sunday, August 27, 1989 TEl TOBC Off 32 Dodgers' drug counselor has first-hand knowledge Dodger notes "I'd liked to have died a few years back, so I know how far you can go." Lou Johnson On surviving substance abuse and a tight division race, the Salem Dodgers welcomed back Chris Morrow, who was the club's leading hitter before a shoulder injury sidelined him for 48 games. Morrow, who was sent to his home in San Francisco for rehabilitation, returned to Salem on Thursday. He got his first action Friday in game two of the Dodgers' double-header against Everett. Morrow, the designated hitter, went 1 for 3 with an RBI. His single in the sixth inning drove in Jorge Alvarez for what proved to be the winning run in a 4-3 victory.

"It felt a little awkward and a little stiff," Morrow said after the game. "But it's good to be back." Manager Tom Beyers said: "I think it's godd for Chris. It gives him a chance to get his stroke back before he goes to Arizona. It also helps us out." Morrow, who along with several other Salem players will go to the Dodgers' instructional league in Arizona this fall, is not yet able to throw. He was the Dodgers' regular left fielder before the injury.

By Capi Lynn The Statesman Journal Lou Johnson of the Los Angeles Dodgers' organization survived it, but many athletes have not alcohol and drug abuse. Johnson, an alcohol and drug counselor for the Dodgers' minor league system, was in town the past few days to talk with the Salem club. "I'd liked to have died a few years back, so I know how far you can go," he said. "I'm fortunate to be one of the statistics that survived." This is the first year Johnson has been with the organization in a counseling capacity full time. "I've periodically talked and visited in spring training since 1980," he said.

"It's an awareness thing; we try to keep them attuned of what's going on. I'm just like the other instructors, but this is my specialty." Alcohol and drug counseling is serious business within the organization, Johnson said. "The Dodgers put more emphasis on it," he said in comparing such programs of other organizations. "We have a little more concern for it. I'm not saying others don't do it but not like we do." Johnson said the organization has had a good year in dealing with substance abuse.

"But when it does happen, we are there at a moment's notice before it escalates," he said. Johnson played for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1965-67. With less than three weeks to go A A If 03 MajorsRoad has pitfalls, potholes had a seven-game hitting streak going, and he was convinced his unwashed stirrups were a vital part of his success. Never mind that they could stand in the corner by themselves, he was not about to let Clark throw them in the wash. "I guess when it's over I'll wash them," Beard said.

Cleanliness returned much too quickly for the 20-year-old. He went hitless that night. By the time Clark and Connelly return to the motel, it's about time to load up for the ballpark. "Is your roommate here?" manager Tom Beyers asks. This time, they were all there.

A couple days later, two players would be late for the bus and fined $10 each the price of justice in the minor leagues. After the game, the club goes out to eat. Minor league players do not have to worry about getting fat, but they may have concern that their cholesterol level will go higher than their batting averages. They receive $11 a day for meals. Usually they have a choice of restaurants, mostly fast-food places.

The problem comes at the end of the day when they've exhausted their $11 and have to break out the VISA cards. After eating, they return to the motel, and the process starts all over again. Even a short season the Dodgers play a 76-game schedule compared to 162 games in the major leagues can be a long sea son. A rainout at Everett on the final day of the trip gave the club an opportunity to travel during reasonable hours on the way home. Management is not happy about rainouts.

They lose money, and if rainouts happen too often, they can lose fans. Players, on the other hand, get two days off all season. A rainout is a godsend. It is to be cherished. It is worthy of dance.

And that is what pitcher Larry Gonzalez and some of his teammates did outside the motel in Everett. Gonzalez can only hope he can find the same type of magic on the mound as he did in the rain dance. Ten minutes later, the rains came, washing away the game and giving the Dodgers a day off. "We used to do it all the time during extended spring training in Florida," he said. "And it rained all the time there.

Except a lot of times we still had to play." Not this time. The trip home was comfortable for most, with the possible exception of pitcher Robin Nina. He thought he had a seat to himself in the front of the bus, but he quickly learned that he was sharing it with Mother Nature the window he sat by was leaking from the rain, and he had to sleep with a towel over his head. But the players would much rather put the towel over their heads than throw it in before their dreams come true. wait.

It takes about 30 minutes to get the 14 or so rooms assigned to the players. They grab their luggage and file into their rooms. Most will not reappear until about 1 p.m. The beds may not be perfect, but it's unanimous that they are a lot more comfortable than the luggage rack. Robinson, describing a typical day's schedule, said: "You sleep as long as you can stay in bed, go eat and go to the park.

The first couple of trips are kind of exciting, but as the season goes on you get used to it." When the Dodgers play Bel-lingham, they stay at a motel in Ferndale, about 15 minutes away. Within walking distance are a Dairy Queen, one family-style restaurant and a freeway leading to civilization a fact not lost on first baseman Rex Peters. "There's nothing to do, especially here, that's why all the guys sleep until 1 o'clock," he said. "It gets real monotonous." While the players are sleeping, assistant trainer Geoff Clark and bus driver Garry Connelly head to a nearby laundry to wash the uniforms. When the club plays at home, they have the luxury of a washer and dryer in their clubhouse.

But sometimes the load is lighter on the road, particularly when a guy's batting average is at stake. Third baseman Garrett Beard AP photo Winning pitcher Chris Drury of the Trumbull, after the last out in his team's 5-2 victory in Little League team leaps in the air the Little League World Series on Saturday. U.S. wins Little League, 5-2 By David S. Martin The Associated Press WILLIAMSPO.RT, Pa.

Taiwan's three consecutive Little League World Series victories didn't intimidate Little Leaguers from Trumbull, Conn. Chris Drury pitched a five-hitter and drove in two runs Saturday, and Ken Martin had three RBI, including a home run as Trumbull, defeated Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 5-2 in the 43rd Little League World Series. Trumbull manager Tom Galla said: "These guys don't know how to lose. They didn't care who they were playing. They didn't care that it was Taiwan." Trumbull became the first American team to win the series since Marietta, in 1983.

Seoul, South Korea, won the next two years, and Little Leaguers from Taiwan were winners from 1986-88. Lakewood, N.J., was the last Eastern Regional champion to make the finals and the last one to win the jubiliant teammates rushed to the mound and hugged the winning pitcher. Kaohsiung took the lead in the top of the first when Chien-Chih Lee doubled with two outs and scored as Yeh Chen-Lung's deep fly to left tipped off Dan McGrath's glove. Martin's bloop two-out single to right scored Cody Lee and Drury in the bottom of the third and gave Trumbull a 2-1 lead. Martin said, "We started slow, but once we realized we could beat them we didn't stop." In the top of the fifth inning, Kaohsiung led off with a pair of singles, and an intentional walk loaded the bases with one out.

Lee Chien-Chih then hit a run-scoring double to the wall in left field, but McGrath's throw caught Huang Chin-Chih trying to score from second. Chien-Chih, an 86-pound right-handed submarine pitcher, was relieved after Martin's home run to lead off the fifth. tournament, in 1975. A Connecticut team last made the finals in 1965, when Windsor Locks, defeated Stoney Creek, Ontario, 3-1. "It's about time a U.S.

team won the World Series," Galla said. Drury, a 5-foot-l1, 126-pound right-hander with a 66-mph fastball, struck out two, walked four two of them intentionally and went 2 for 3 at the plate. His Texas-leaguer with two outs and the bases loaded in the fourth inning scored two runs and opened up a 4-1 lead. Drury allowed a run in the top of the fifth, but Ken Martin answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the inning for Trumbull, a suburb of Bridgeport, Conn. In the sixth inning, Drury walked the leadoff hitter but then ended the game with a fly out, strikeout and deep fly to the warning track in left field as Mariners' new owners like Seattle "The firm, absolute, positive conclusion that we drew is the Pacific Northwest can support major league baseball.

We're sure of that. "This town is a sports town. It's the 13th largest television market in the United States. We have concluded that there's nothing about Seattle that makes it impossible to support major league baseball." he said. George Argyros, outgoing Mariners' owner, said a main reason he sold the Mariners to Smulyan and Browning and not someone else was because he was sure they will keep the team in its birth place, Seattle.

Argyros called on Seattle's baseball fans to get behind the Mariners. He also urged King County officials to grant a new lease to the new owners. The original 20-year lease, which Argyros renegotiated amid much rancor in 1985, runs through the 1996 season. Argyros said: "This is a time to bring the community together. The fans have been very, very supportive.

I'm very proud of our fan base. I'm very proud we have so many dedicated people to baseball." The city of Seattle is holding its breath about the Mariners. Baseball fans want to believe Smulyan and Browning, but they're also well aware that Indianapolis has been aggressively pursuing a major league expansion team for the past four years. In the back of some minds is the departure of the NFL Colts from Baltimore to Indianapolis in vans loaded and moved overnight. IT PAYS TO BE dick withnell SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE AT REGULAR TIMES (mm (2S555 The Associated Press SEATTLE New Seattle Mariners' owners Jeff Smulyan and Michael Browning say the franchise they bought for an estimated $76 million is in the right place.

To the delight of Seattle baseball fans watching as the team's sale was announced, Smulyan and Browning said over and over again that the American League franchise is not moving to Indianapolis, Denver, Tampa or anywhere else. Smulyan said he didn't know if he'd consider the Mariners a Seattle birthright. "But I can tell you that we've studied Seattle, and we've invested millions and millions of dollars after a tremendous amount of research," Smulyan said. Ryan's victim can't fan reminders NEW YORK The day after becoming Victim No. 6,000, Rickey Henderson ate at the Black Eyed Pea, a restaurant in Arlington, Texas.

"It was good," Henderson said, "but guess who was there eating lunch with his family7" Nolan Ryan, that's who. The two looked at each other and laughed. Ryan said, "Just the person you wanted to see, huh?" Henderson smiled at the twist of fate and said, "I should have bought him lunch." Henderson said that he felt honored to be No. 5,000. The week in baseball was dominated by two historic events Ryan's strikeout Tuesday and the lifetime ban of Pete Rose Thursday.

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