The Town Talk from Alexandria, Louisiana • Page 13

Section Page One 9 wtutt Thursday, March 28, 1974 ALEXANDRIA-PINEVILLE, LA. Was Hit Like He Had Never Seen Before Bush Recalls Babes Lost HR Carter's Column Bv Kobcrt Shaw SHANNON, Miss. (AP) -At the time, they seemed to be just another couple of home runs off Guy Bush that pleas mm-. Pistol's Doing His Thing Pete Maravich land A's, only faster than Hunter, Bush recalls that Ruth didn't get the ball out of the infield on him during the only Series game Bush started before the pitcher caught a line drive on his hand and had to leave. That was the same series in which Ruth made the famous gesture toward the distant bleachers and then slammed the ball into the stands.

BUSH BELIEVES Ruth called the home run. He also says he was the chief bench jockey whose wisecracks nettled Ruth into the gesture. Bush said several years and I didn't think he could get around in time," Bush said. He said he didn't know if anyone knew where best to pitch Ruth because "he might miss the ball 18 inches" on one pitch and later, "on the same pitch with the same stuff, he might hit it a mile." Bush won 15 or more games for seven straight seasons, all for the Chicago Cubs, in a career covering 17 years and five teams. The only other time he faced Ruth was in the 1932 World Series.

Describing himself as a pitcher on the order of Jim "Catfish" Hunter of the Oak in trying to pitch around Aaron to avoid giving up the historic homers, but he also says talk of serving a fat one to Aaron is foolish. If he were pitching, he said, Aaron would have to earn his homers. "He'd have to hit a fast ball low and inside off me," Bush said. "I'd pitch to him like the ball game was at stake on every pitch." But he said he was pitching to what he thought was Ruth's weakness the outside corner when Babe victimized him. "He hit with his back to you The Hawks signed Maravich (before Fitzsimmons went there as coach) as a scorer and showman, and that's what they have.

If they want to win again, they may have to get rid of The Pistol. Bright Knights Ahead later he approached Ruth and asked the slugger to "tell me the truth" about the famous homer. "Babe put his arm around my shoulders and said, 'It made a damned good story anyway, didn't it, Guy? Bush said. Bush says he gets 20 or 25 letters a week from fans who still remember him, most of them for his record, not for Ruth's homers. He said it doesn't bother him that he was Ruth's victim.

"It makes me feel a little bit good, because Babe was such a great player," Bush said. Portland Won Toss, 'Big Red' Bv Jack Stevenson BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) Portland's Trail Blazers will mount an all-out rnmnnipn tr l.inH Tlfl.A'c Cotton Fitzsimmons, the Atlanta Hawks coach, says Pete Maravich "has got to learn to do more things without the basketball." The Pistol knows all the things a good basketball player should without the ball. It's just that he spent so many years purposely avoiding things that don't get in the statistics, and it may be too late for him to change. There isn't anything required in basketball that Maravich can't do, and do well.

I doubt that there has ever been a more gifted backcourt basketball player than Maravich. But while he was being coached by his daddy, Press Maravich, and while he was being coached at LSU by Press, Pete obviously was encouraged to skip things that help the team win. Pistol Pete was to concentrate on scoring and showmanship, the two things that most impress fans and result in $2 million pro contracts. The Pistol is doing his thing at Atlanta. He's scoring points and his team is losing.

That, of course, was the story of his college career at LSU. Pete had so many skills that had he dedicated himself he could have made LSU a winner. Press was more interested in Pete's individual exploits, so Pete was, too. It doesn't seem like it has been that long, since Harold "Jug" Knight was guilding Louisiana College's now defunct football program through its last successful seasons. Yet, the four Knight children, who were tots here, are just about grown, and the nine-year-old wasn't even born when Jug retired from coaching and took Anne and the boys to Ruston to work at Louisiana Tech.

The next-to-oldest Knight youngster, 17-year-old Steve, a 6-3 guard, was a star on the Hattiesburg High team that won the Mississippi state basketball championship this season. Steve, an excellent outside shooter, earned all-state honors. However, Steve is expected to make his living in professional baseball. Chuck, 19, is a sophomore at the University of Southern Mississippi, where Jug has been teaching since getting his doctorate at the Hattiesburg university in 1968. David, 15, was manager of the high school basketball team.

Don, 13, was the catcher on the state Dixie Youth baseball championship team last year. The team also took third place in the World Series in South Carolina. Nine-year-old Larry is coming up through the kid baseball ranks, too. Has it really been that long? jt three-time All-American Bill IfTj UlUnn fho fi.fnnf.11 onninr A A V4l who'll probably command a $2 million contract. Portland won the National Basketball Association rights to negotiate with Wal- ton when Philadelphia Pain Finally Felt missed in a flip of a coin Wednesday.

Herman Sarkowsky, president of the Trail Blazers, said immediately that his club would pick Walton with its No. ant afternoon in Pittsburgh on May 25, 1935, but they were to go down as Babe Ruth's last two. Now tending his vegetable garden and soybeans on a 50-acre farm in this small northeast Mississippi town, Bush remembers that the first was non-Ruthian, the second, No. 714, a clout of a magnitude he had not seen before. Then a cocky, successful right-handed pitcher, the 29-year-old Bush had come on in relief of Red Lucas for the Pirates on that day.

Ruth, who already had homered off Lucas, was an aging 40, playing out his last days with the Boston Braves after years of stardom with the New York Yankees. Bush, who had a career record of 176-136, gladly talks now about the last two that completed the revered record that Hank Aaron will tie with his next home run. Hit Ball on Handle Home run No. 713 for Ruth? "He hit a ball on the handle and he pulled it about eight or 10 feet fair and it just fell into the stands," Bush said. "Just a short fly ball was all it was.

"Well, it made me so mad that I thought to myself, 'Is that the kind of home runs he's been Bush chuckled, and then began talking about No. 714. "There was a big crowd and they were on Ruth," he said. "They were always on him, cheering him or riding him one. He was coming to bat again.

"And, I said coming out of the dugout, 'Well, that guy who hit the little bloop home run before will be up again in this inning. I'm going to throw three fast balls right by that guy and see what this crowd will do and get my laugh on "Well, that's what I started out to do. I got the first pitch in there for a strike and Ruth just watched it go by just as pretty, like he was looking at a soft-ball. And, I didn't say a word. "I got a signal for another fast ball and I come through there with one, I mean, with everything I had on it.

I hit the plate, maybe an inch or two inches off the plate, about halfway between his knees and his waist. Just where he could get that fat part of the bat on it. Go Ahold of Ball "He got ahold of that ball and hit it over the triple-deck, clear out of the ballpark (in right-center). I'm telling you, it was the longest cock 1 choice in the NBA draft this ill' 4 spring. "I am confident we can sign him said Sarkowskv of the -A'''Jk collegiate prize.

"We have the ingredients to use as in- 1 i I A 1 1, uucemenis 10 gei mm 10 Four-Club Golf Meet wmmmmmmmm sign." Walton has said he nrefers This background has been hurting Pete, and the Hawks, ever since he turned pro. And now, the Hawks' coach, Fitzsimmons, is acknowledging it. Atlanta was a pretty good basketball team when Maravich joined the Hawks. The team has been going down ever since it got Pistol Pete, and this year the Hawks didn't even make the playoffs. "We have two great scorers (Maravich and Lou Hudson) and that may be our problem," said Fitzsimmons in reviewing his team's poor season.

Then he added: "I don't think you can put the rap on Pete, but I wish he blended in more as a team player. Pete tries extra hard to win all the time, but he's an individual. I don't know if he can change. Down deep he thinks he can win for us all the time. However, I want a cohesive unit with each individual knowing his role.

Pete has got to learn to do more things without the ball." Pete is still an attraction at some places on the road, because the fans there don't see him often and they like to see him lose. But he's no longer a novelty in Atlanta. The fans there have seen his show, and now they would like to have a winner again. to play in Southern California and has virtually ruled out the East. Sarkowsky said that even if the collegiate player-of-the-year for both 1972 and 1973 says he doesn't want to play in Portland, "We would still draft him." San Diego of the rival American Basketball Association has drafted Walton so it would appear he has the choice of playing in Portland for the NBA, joining an ABA mm A different kind of golf tournament will be held at Alexandria Country Club Sunday.

Four clubs are involved, East Ridge of Shreveport, Bayou Desiard of Monroe, Acadian Hills of Lafayette, and ACC. Each club will enter 16 amateurs and its club pro. There are four divisions, with handicap in the first group scratch through four, the second five to eight, the third nine to 12, and the fourth over 12. The two clubs with the most points will be "guests" of the other two at a cocktail party at the ACC clubhouse following play. Some interesting matches are planned.

For instance, Frank Brame III of Alexandria will be paired against Shirley Picard of Lafayette, and others. the Boston Braves. Of the homers, Bush said, "It makes me feel a little bit good because Babe was such a great player." (AP Wirephoto) Guy Bush reminisces at his farm in Shannon, about the day in 1935 when he gave up two home runs to Babe Ruth, the last two of Ruth's career. Bush was pitching for Pittsburgh and Ruth was with (Turn to Page B-2) Gaylord Has 'Watched' Feeling Ml MM I Head-to-Head With Miller Nicklaus Plays Best When He's Challenged By Andy Lippman AP Sports Writer Gaylord Perry 'says he's got the feeling he's being watched this spring. And it's not only to see if he's throwing a spitball.

"I know the Orioles are scouting me and I would understand if the Indians were to trade me," Perry said after he and two Cleveland relievers combined for a one-hitter in defeating California 4-1 Wednesday. "If Phil Seghi, Indian general manager gets a good offer for me, I realize he can't very well turn it down. DISCOUNT CENTER ALEXANDRIA A PINEVILLE ONLY! 616 Mac Arthur Drive 2720 Holloway Road HOWARD'S Gim You A Sfsef- Bslfed Tire You Can Afford! TOU'VI HEM THI IDS AND HUH TH! COMMIICMIS ON STf II IUTII TIRCS. IUT WHIN TOU CMICIID THI PIICU TU FOUNI THIM HIGH. Will NOW TWIUN IUT ONI THI FIMEST STf I IILTEO THUS ON THI MAIKfT, AT A NIC! TOU CAN AIFOIO.

the American, Canadian and British Opens. Nicklaus responded the following -season with seven titles, including the Masters and U.S. Open, and marked up a record $320,000 in prize winnings. Last year Tom Weiskopf made a lightening grab for glory that culminated in the British Open. Nicklaus responded with a late season burst that included his record-breaking triumph in the PGA, a total of seven American championships and his second million dollars in career earnings.

Now it's Miller mod, young, soft-spoken, self-effacing who's making threatening gestures toward Nicklaus' position as the By Bob Green NEW ORLEANS (AP) --Johnny Miller's going good. And that's just fine with Jack Nicklaus. "It's something of a challenge. It makes it a little more interesting," Nicklaus said before teeing off today with Miller as a partner in the first round of the $150,000 Greater New Orleans Open Golf Tournament. Nicklaus, holder of a record 14 major tournament titles and generally recognized as the finest player the game has ever known, has a history of playing his best when he's challenged.

Recent examples: In 1971, Lee Trevino scored that unprecedented blitz of game's premier performer. Beginning in June of last year, Miller won the U.S. Open, took titles in France and Spain, scored a record sweep of the first three tour events of 1974 and last week won his fourth tournament of the year in the Heritage Classic, a victory that pushed his season's money winnings to almost $150,000. "I'm gonna try to win again," Miller said. "I'm playing good enough to win again.

There's no reason I can't." But Nicklaus, who was not playing in three of the four tournaments Miller won this season, had some observations of his own: "Actually," said Jack, who nipped a split Milwaukee squad 8-6 and the Oakland A's defeated the Chicago Cubs 4-2 in other games. Cleveland Manager Ken Aspromonte liked what he saw of Perry. "Gaylord is ready to open the season," Aspromonte said. "He could have gone nine innings just as easily as standing out there. To me, Gaylord pitched like a beautiful piece of chemistry." The Padres built a 7-1 lead and then held off a Milwaukee rally when the Brewers scored twice in the seventh inning and three times in the ninth.

St. Louis hurler Bob Gibson was touched for a two-run home run by a former teammate, Bernie Carbo, and the (Turn to Page B-3) Baltimore scout Bill Werle was in the stands at Tucson, as Perry allowed only a triple by Denny Doyle in seven innings, while striking out seven and walking one. Elsewhere in exhibition baseball, the New York Mets edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3; the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the San Francisco Gaints 4-2; the New York Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1; the Boston Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2; the Montreal Expos trimmed the Philadelphia Phillies 6-5; the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Texas Rangers 9-7 and the Houston Astros squeaked by the Detroit Tigers 3-2. The Cincinnati Reds downed the Chicago White Sox 7-3; the San Diego Padres BUILT WITH HIGHEST QUALITY.

HIGH TENSILE 4-STRAND WIRE eyed ball I ever saw in my life. "That poor fellow, he'd gotten to where he could hardly hobble along. I ain't mad no more then. So, when he rounds third base, I just look over there at him and he kind of looked at me. I tipped my cap just to say, 'I've seen everything now, "He just looked at me and kind of saluted and smiled, and that's the last home run he ever hit.

We got that gesture of good friendship. "He didn't mean any harm because Ruth was the kind of player that didn't want to hurt anybody's feelings. Nobody ever hated Ruth, never disliked him, and he's never disliked anybody. "He wras the greatest. There's never been but one superstar, and that was Babe Ruth." Retired After Homers Ruth retired a few days after hitting the homers.

Bush, now 65, believes Ruth would have many more than 714 homers if he were playing today, because expansion has diluted the strength of modern pitching. "I see some pitchers now that I'd be scared to pitch to Ruth," he said. But he has followed Aaron closely and is rooting for the Atlanta slugger to break the record soon. The Braves will be better off when he does, Bush said. "Maybe there is a little pressure that won't be there when he breaks the record and the team can get back to the business of trying to win a pennant," Bush said.

Bush said he didn't believe GIVES YOU THE STRENGTH OF STEEL IN A "MAGIC" SOFT RIDE. FEATURES SEI-BERLING'S EXCLUSIVE WIDE 7-RIB CHAIN TREAD CUT RATE ISN'T IT TIME YOU CHECKED ON THE AFFORDABLE ML LIQUOR STEEL BELTS FROM SEIBERLING? Upper Third Hwy. I ALL BEER SAME PRICE HOT OR COLD F78-15 12-oz. bottles) 1 1U PLUS 2.72 F.E.T. II IV 6 pack won this tournament 12 months ago, "I think I'm playing better right now than I was at this stage a year ago.

My chipping and putting weren't all they could have been at Doral (his last previous start) but I think it's coming around." Nicklaus, just off a two-week vacation with his family, is making his last start prior to the Masters in Augusta, the first of the year's four major tournaments and annually Nicklaus' first big goal. The 150-man field that will play the par-72 Lakewood Country Club course is one of the strongest of the season and almost certainly the best this tournament has ever had. I Murray, Jackson I I Win NASS Awards 1 SALISBURY, N.C. (AP) The National Associ- ation of Sportscasters and Sportswriters has named 1 1 Jim Murray of the Los Angeles Times as its national 1 Sportswriter of the Year for the second consecutive 1 'ear- I And Keith Jackson of ABC News was honored as 5 Sportcaster of the Year for the second year in a row. They received the awards at the association's annual banquet Wednesday night.

Winners in each state also were honored. Gov. Jim Holshouser of North Carolina present- ed the awards. 1 The association inducted post-humously into its i Sports Hall of Fame veteran sports broadcaster Bill Stern and the sports editor of the old New York Herald Tribune, Stanley Woodward. ilillllllllllllllllillllllllUIIIIIIIIllllIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIllilllUlllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllli FALSTAFF Milwaukee's Best 12-oz.

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