The Times from Shreveport, Louisiana • Page 9

1980 5- The Times siireveport-bossier June 14, Pride looks to draft More or ganized. By RON HIGGINS Times Sports Writer talking with Cindy Brogden, former Tennessee All-American. Nancy Lieberman of Old Dominion, the top collegiate player the past season and Tennessee's Holly War-, lick are the best guards in the draft, i but D' Antoni realistically hopes to get either Pam Chambers of Tennes see Tech or Betty Booker of phis State. "ZJZ New Orleans' hidden secret is Day-. ton's Beverly Crusoe, a talented 6v- erall player who the Pride has signing rights to since they drafted her last year when she was an under In this draft, the Pride is in the market for a big center, a guard and possibly a forward.

"We have a fine center right now in Augusta Forest," said D' Antoni. "She was our leading scorer, but she is only 5-11 and she did it all on quickness. We'd like to move her to forward." This year's top centers are 6-5 Inge Nissen of Old Dominion and 6-3 Jill Rankin of Tennessee. "We like either of those two," said D' Antoni, but we're looking at Jessie Brown, 6-2 and 170, from South Alabama. She averaged 24 points and 13 rebounds last year." At forward, LSU's Julie Gross and Ole Miss' Peggie Gillom are the top choices.

While the Pride may not get Gross, neither will any other team. "Gross has 17 hours of school left and will graduate in December," said Antoni. "She's indicated she probably won't play pro ball. That's too bad because according to the league draft list, she's the top-rated forward." The Pride already is close to signing free-agent Heidi Wayment, a 6-3 four-time Ail-American from Biola College in California And, in an attempt to further remedy the frontline problems, the Pride has been ball organization, but I do know how to balance a budget," Mrs. Simpson said.

"As long as I handle the adminstrative part of it and Butch (Pride coach van Breda Kolff handles the basketball part, well be okay." Part of the problem last season with former GM Brown, according to Pride officials, was that he watched the action on the court more than what went on off it. "A guess you could say it was a matter of philosophy," said Wayne D' Antoni, the Pride's director of player personnel. "Steve paid a bit more attention to the basketball aspect of the club than he did managerial aspect. We didn't produce last year at the gate like we had hoped to." On opening night in the Superdome against New York, the Pride attracted a league-record 8,452. During the regular season, average home attendance hovered at approximately 2,000, placing New Orleans in the upper-half of the 12-team league in that category.

In the playoffs, the Pride had the largest average attendance figure. But despite all this, Brown was Anytime you are involved in a brand-new professional franchise in any sport, the best thing you can hope for is to come to work every day and find that your desk hasn't been repose ssed. There are no bare floors in the Shell Square offices of the New Orleans Pride of the Women's Professional Basketball League. In fact, after one year of operation, the Pride is continuing on and becoming more organized in the process. Despite losing money last year, as the majority of the WPBL teams did, the Pride adminstration figured it learned from its mistakes and decided to do something about it.

Pride owner John Simpson, a New Orleans doctor, chose to replace first-year general manager Steve Brown with his wife, Claudette. While this may seem like your basic nepotism case, it isn't. The good doctor made the move because his wife is experienced in adminstrative and bookkeeping work. "I can say that I know nothing about running a professional basket Lacking size and inside strength, the Pride is looking forward to this Monday's WPBL draft to be held in New York. A good draft for the Pride this year could solidfy the franchise's position in the league.

For two months, D' Antoni has been gathering more information on prospects than the Central Intelligence Agenecy does spies. "The league provides us with a draft list," explained D' Antoni, "and in addition, I've been calling teams and coaches all over the place trying to find the best available talent." Since the Pride gets the 11th pick in the first round of the draft, D' Antoni is hoping a name player might be left. But, he's playing the role of a realist. "We know who the best players are and we know they probably wont be around by the time we pick," he said. "That's why have to check out all leads, to maybe find someone who is lesser-known, but just as talented." displeased with the lack of attendance and made the mistake of publicly saying so.

A wire service story reported that Brown was seeking to move the team to Jackson, for the 1980-81 season. "I think it was frustration on Steve's part," said Wayne D' Antoni, the Pride's director of player personnel. "He thought crowds should have been bigger and in they should have. But when he came out and said if the fans didn't come out and support this team better that we would move. that's not a very smart idea in New Orleans." The Pride, despite a mid-season change from the Western Division to the Eastern because of the folding of two franchises, ended up second in their division.

New York, coached by former Marquette star Dean "The Dream" Meminger, won the Eastern title and the league championship over the Iowa Cornets. graduate. This past year as a senior Crusoe led her team to a 36-2 record and averaged 16 points, seven rei-i bounds, five assists and four re-TA bounds per game. o- This season's Louisiana collegiata talent is at an all-time low. With ther exception of Gross, no Louisiana -players are expected to be drafted i "USL, Tulane and a few other schools haven't gotten to the point where they can produce talent every year," D' Antoni said.

"Southeastern has been good in the past and we're waiting for people at Louisiana Tech to graduate." Hopefully by that time, the Pride will still be operating. nc. rj Berkeley Games mUSLL felted No other alternative ililliiil pi ft (UPI Telephoto) nil 1 By DAVE NEWHOUSE Gannett News Service BERKELEY, Calif. It was 7 a.m. Thursday at Dave Maggard's home, and not a creature was stirring until the phone began ringing angrily.

"What's this about an alternative games?" an unknown voice asked the University of California athletic director. "You're putting me on, I just called the White House and they don't know anything about it." The Oakland Tribune and Eastbay Today didn't phone 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue before breaking the exclusive story Thursday that California will be the site of the July 17-18 Berkeley International Games. President Carter obviously knew about the Berkeley meet, which should remove some of the criticism he received for his Olympic boycott. But Carter should have assigned Ham Jordan or someone to assist Maggard with Thursday's deluge of calls. "You're calling it the alternative Olympics," someone shouted at Maggard.

Maggard insisted he was doing nothing of the kind, although many different names will be given this meet before lane assignments are even drawn. The U.S. replacement, substitute, stand-in or let's-make-do games, for starters. "Where are you going to put the gymnasts?" another caller asked Maggard, who explained to the confused party that gymnasts won't be included "unless they make the track team." An alternative games, at first glance, is like settling for Sandy Duncan when you could have had Sophia Loren. Not nearly as attractive, but better than nothing at all.

On second glance, maybe an alternative games isn't like a $39 suit. Check the field: West Germany, Kenya, Canada, United States track and field heavies which may explain why first-day interest moved faster than Renaldo Nehemiah. "We've had a tremendous re-, sponse," said Maggard. "We've had lots of calls from people in Berkeley and Oakland who want to provide housing although this wont be necessary. "People want to see Olympic athletes and they wont get to see the Olympics on TV.

Poeple will be interested in seeing other countries compete." U.S. athletes would have been 100 percent ready physically and mentally for Moscow. What can Maggard expect for Berkeley, 8040 percent? "There were incredible performances at last week's NCAA meet," he pointed out "I was surprised how excited the athletes are about wanting to make the Olympic team. It's still important to them. "I really think the athletes will be 'Z (UPI Telephotos) Outfielder Bobby Brown (left), catcher Rick Cerone two Yankees ulio ivernt free agents Yankees build from within Dave Maggard at their peak for our meet.

A world' record will mean more to an athlete now because he wont be competing in the Olympics." There was a stedy line all dayln front of the Cal ticket office. There is no limit on tickets per person, so' tickets were moving sellout almost is assured. At $12 for1 two days of competition, you cant' beat the price. The Leonard-Duran closed-circuit fight is $25 a "I heard the news this morning at" 11 and left Monterey at 11:30," said Anthony Troia, two hours and 20 minutes later in the ticket of mine was going to drive iip from Pasadena, but I told him I would get his tickets." "I was prepared to spend $50460 for tickets, then I found out it was only $12," said Marta Winslow, a Berkeley actress. "In fact, I'm going through my phone book right now, so I wont miss my friends who might want tickets.

Now if you'll excuse me just a minute John Anderson, a Cal graduate' student in journalism, attended the 1976 Montreal Olympics. He's tall and thin, a former 1,500 meter runner. "JJsJ "This meet wont be the same as; the full-scale Olympics, as far as- glamour and aura, but it will ha a'. top-flight track meet," he said. "Performances will be good be- I cause you'll have the best Americans' together, which is a rarity.

This is, one of the best track stadiums in the-country, and with a high level of competition, I expect record-break-; ing performances." Carl Wilson of Berkeley, a Depart-, ment of Forestry consultant, visited Moscow with bis wife two years "There were signs in windows al over Moscow," said Wilson. "Yotf could see it in the people themselves' they were really counting on this' (the Olympics) and their hotels being filled with Americans. 'J 1 By PAUL OBERJUERGE Gannett News Service ANAHEIM, Calif. Your natural reaction, upon discovering the New York Yankees back atop the American League East, is to assume George Steinbrenner has bought himself another pennant. Not that the wealthy owner of the Yanks has the bill of sale in hand, just yet.

Though the Yankees have a cozy little lead, the season is, after all, barely one-third complete. It's just that New York looks very good. Good power, solid defense, decent team speed, reliable starting pitching, an outstanding bullpen. The class of the division. I mean, your natural reaction is to look at the Yanks and ask, "How much?" As in "How much did it cost you this time, George? Five, six mill?" Fair enough questions, considering Steinbrenner's track record.

We're talking about a guy who has a reputation for opening his checkbook as often as his mouth. But in this case, Steinbrenner's money is not the over-riding factor, i This is not a team dominated by free as you might expect. Rather, it is a judicious mix of youth and age seasoned by a small cadre of high-priced free agents. It is a team that has experienced 56 percent turnover in less tkan two years. Only 11 members of the Yanks' current 25-man roster played on the 1978 World Series team.

Probably most of us are working under the assumption that Steinbrenner went out and bought most of the new Yanks on the open market. That is his style, isn't it? But of the 15 new players (counting Ruppert Jones, who is on the disabled list), only four (Tommy John, Bob Watson, Luis Hant and Rudy May) were free-agent acquisitions. And only two of them (John, Watson) can fairly be said to be significant contributors to the Yanks' quick start. Five of the new players arrived in New York via trade, five came out of the Yanks' increasingly productive minor league system and one (Catcher Johnny Oates) was picked up on waivers. To be sure, Steinbrenner sees to it that most of his talent sticks around by offering lucrative, long-term contracts.

But several good teams not normally accused of obscene spending, including the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates, do the same. In other words, these Yankees owe their current success largely to tried and true baseball methods canny trading and dogged player development. It's a game anyone can play, even someone without a huge bankroll. The Yanks' front office, including Vice President Cedric Tallis and General Manager Gene Michael, has simply made a series of sound moves over the last year. 1 Starting pitcher Tom Underwood (6-3) and regular catcher Rick Cerone came in a trade with Toronto in exchange for Chris Chambliss and two minor leaguers.

The Yanks got designated hitter and part-time third baseman Eric Soderholm (.337) from Texas for a couple of minor leaguers. Outfielder Ruppert Jones came from Seattle for Jim Beattie, Juan Beniquez and Jerry Narron. Then there are the youngsters. Rookie outifelder Joe Lefebvre, a semiregular over the past two weeks, came out of the Yanks' farm system, as did reserve catcher Dennis Werth, pitchers Ron Davis and Mike Griffin, and outfielder Bobby Brown. The point here is that all these guys, most of whom have made major contributions to the Yankees this season, could easily be playing elsewhere.

Steinbrenner's money had very little to do with Joe Lefebvre's rapid development. The New York front office has just been smarter than everybody else, lately. To say that Steinbrenner has simply bought himself another contender would be selling these Yankees short. Research helping to produce safer football helmets. r-1- By HARRY ATKINS AP Sports Writer DETROIT (AP) The number of football deaths due to head injuries dropped in the U.S.

from 20 in 1968 to just two in 1979, in part, because of helmet research being conducted at the Wayne State University School of Medicine. The research is headed by L. Murray Thomas, a professor and chairman of neurosurgery, and Voigt R. Hodgson, Ph.D., professor of engineering in neurosurgery and director of Wayne State's biomechanics laboratory. Doctors Thomas and Hodgson are the principle investigators for the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment which was established in 1969.

Before the Wayne State research, football helmet' manufacturers had no way of accurately measuring the. effectiveness of their protective gear. "The companies would basically just ask players bow comfortable they felt in the helmets, and try to match the' players' preferences," Hodgson said. Data from the Wayne State study now supplies manufacturers with detailed information which enables them' to produce safer helmets. "No matter how you look at it, all the helmets have improved," Thomas said.

"We are seeing fewer injuries. "I don't think, however, you can have a contact sport and not have injuries. We may be getting very close to the ineducable low The National Football League and most college conferences already have adopted the NOCSAE-approved helmets and high schools across the country must begin using them this year. "High school is where the most injuries are," Thomas noted. "That's where you get the greatest mismatch, the vast size differential the 135-pound er trying to take on the 240-pounder." In addition to contributing to the design of a more functional helmet, Thomas and Hodgson also have pushed for rules changes making it illegal for players to block and tackle with their head.

The result has been a decline of neck injuries as welL The researchers, who conduct most of their tests with cadavers, examin the three common shell sizes used by most helmet manufacturers. -t "Most helmets today use some kind of foam inside with some kind of suspension," Hodgson said. "The1 important thing is that the manufacturers have listened' to us. They want to reduce injuries as much as, or mora, than, anybody." In 1976, Hodgson said, companies who recondition' helmets also adopted the standards from the Wayne State research. V-.

"This has been especially important at the high school, level," Hodgson said. "New helmets cost between $4ot and $60 and that's why reconditioned helmets are important. Many high schools just cant afford new helmets.".