The Star Press from Muncie, Indiana • Page 13

Saturday, July 26, 1997 Iterate Sports editor: Scott Underwood Phone: 747-5730 Fax: 747-5748 e-mail: sportsthestarpress.com Comics 6 TheStarPress i IT "I t- John Paul Jr. goes from wheelchair back to cockpit TV'- "Anytime something like this happens, you want to get back on the horse that threw you as soon as you can. We just wanted to get out there and get some laps on the car and not do anything stupid." John Paul Jr. I BACK IN BUSINESS: Delta grad will start 21st tonight in an IRL race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. By RON LEMASTERS Jr.

For The Star Press CONCORD, N.C. John Paul Jr. looked about as happy as anybody could, sitting in a wet race car Wednesday afternoon at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Muncie native and Delta High School graduate didn't seem to mind the remnants of Hurricane Danny, which canceled his practice session after just 16 laps. Paul qualified the DallaraAurora at 203.183 mph Thursday, 21st fastest of the 23 qualifiers for tonight's VisionAire 500 IRL race.

"I'm just glad to be up and around," Paul said from the cockpit as he gingerly lifted his recently broken right leg out of the car. 1 just got out of the wheelchair 3 VisionAire 500 IRL race When: 6:30 p.m. today Television: 1 p.m. Sunday, CBS you can," he said. "We just wanted to get out there and get some laps on the car and not do anything stupid.

About half the 16 laps we did were just warming up. "Unfortunately, being in a wheelchair since May means this is my test session, and we had to do it out there in front of God and everybody. All I wanted to do was not do something stupid." Rehabilitation for Paul has consisted of swimming thousands of laps in his West Palm Beach pool. "I can't use my legs aU that much, so I use my arms to pull me through the water," he said. "The doctors told me to swim as much as I could, and they didn't want me to go to a physical therapist because sometimes there is too much pressure to return quickly.

"I can put full weight on my left leg, and it another month, I can put full weight on the right one." weeks ago." Paul sustained his injuries at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May, spinning off the fourth-turn and hitting the outside wall head-on. The impact registered 87 Gs on the on-board crash recorder, the highest- head-on impact ever recorded by the device, and it broke his right leg and left heel. Although Paul has broken bones in crashes before, this time was a little different "That was a long time ago, and I was a lot younger then," he said with a rueful smile. "I've been really lucky with crashes in 99 out of 100, the trajectory will be such that you get out of it without major damage. Unfortunately, it's going to be the wrong trajectory sometime." After his injuries were surgically repaired at Indianapolis's Methodist Hospital, Paul returned home to Florida to mend.

He got clearance from IRL Medical Director Henry Bock a week ago, and has been trying to get back into the swing Car competition for team owner Rob Dyson, and his injuries won't allow him to race on a road course for another month. "I can't heel-and-toe," he said, demonstrating the technique to brake and accelerate simultaneously. "That's OK, because the next race isn't until the end of August, so I'll be back for that one." Coming back from injuries like the ones he sustained isn't easy, but Paul approaches it with aplomb. "Anytime something like this happens, you want to get back on the horse that threw you as soon as nrr MACE ER IMS! Macker Fact Macker shedule Today 7 a.m.-1 p.m. 8 a.m.

8 30 a.m. Noon Player registration Opening ceremonies Play begins Instructional clinic with Bobby Wilkerson Slam dunk contest Play starts ever since. "Tuesday's open practice was the first time I had sat in the car since the accident," Paul said. "We only got 16 laps, and I was trying to get my head back up to speed, getting used to the momentum again. "I was pretty rusty out there.

I have a brace on the left leg so I can push the throttle, and stepping on the brake pedal doesn't hurt either. It's stepping on the clutch to change gears that really hurts. I just kind of have to hold my breath and do it." Paul also drives in World Sports jimwr Fast facts Gus Macker estimates million spectators attended tournaments in 1995. The original Gus Macker started in 1974 in a driveway in Lowell, Mich. It started with 18 friends playing competitively for $18.

The number of tournaments increased to 32 in 1990, 53 in 1993 and at least 75 in 1996. In the past 5 years, 1 more than $3.24 million has been donated to charity through Gus Macker events. Jennifer Fraley The Star Press "Goin' All the Way," "No limit," "Second to None," "String Music," "The Unstoppables," "The Untouchables," "Too Much for You," "We Believe We Can Fly" and "Well on Our Way." Other teams are not so confident. It is hard to imagine these teams being too competitive: "Against All Odds," "Backboard Breakers," "Bench Warmers," "Bricklayers," "No Chance," "No Hope," "No Skillz," "Oh fer Something," "Team Cinderella," "The Worst Team Here," "Shootin' Blanks" and "Dough Boys." A few teams seem to take the 6 p.m. Sunday 8 a.m.

Macker demographics In 1995, 49,929 teams entered Gus Macker events, which amounted to 196,668 players. Below is a breakdown of the age and sex the of players. over 40 36-29 3 Hank NUWER Artist draws fish and birds, not crowds Michael Matherly's best work may take a licking but keeps on-a-sticking. Matherly, 44, is a wildlife artist known nationally for five of his lifelike paintings that appear on U.S. postage stamps.

Six of his paintings also have won the DNR's Division of Fish Wildlife design competition in the troutsalmon stamp category. The sixth winner was announced this week by Fish Wildlife. Matherly's painting of a rainbow trout will appear on the 1999 state troutVsalmon stamp. He earns first-place prize money of $750 for his 6V2- 9-inch rendering of a rainbow trout. (The stamp is purchased by anglers who buy the optional troutsalmon stamp.) Matherly has worked full time as an artist since 1983.

Many artists need the adrenaline rush of working in New York's Greenwich Village, but he prefers the solitude of his parklike property southeast of New Castle. Matherly's domain gives him access to models that require no agency fees and never demand a coffee break. He has a bird-rich marsh and a half-acre pond filled with bluegill and crappie. Nearby is a creek loaded with smallmouth bass and pumpkinseed sunfish. In addition, Matherly travels to farflung outposts in Maine and Canada to snap photographs of bear, moose and wild birds.

Back home in his studio, he uses up to 20 photos to inspire him to create a single painting. "I don't copy them exactly," he says. "I use them as a reference for detail and ideas." Matherly has no single favorite subject to paint, but he does prefer to restrict his subjects to fish, mammals and snakes from North America His most famous paintings depict an American kestrel (a hawklike bird) on a 1-cent stamp, a red-headed woodpecker on a 2-cent stamp, an eastern bluebird on a 3-cent stamp, a red squirrel on a 29-cent stamp and a pumpkinseed sunfish on a 45-cent stamp. Although he briefly attended the Dayton Art Institute, Matherly says he taught himself to paint wildlife. He paints to please himself first and his audience second.

He downplays the fact that his work is printed on millions of U.S. stamps, but says his wife Debra and son Tyler, 4, are thrilled that he won the latest Fish and Wildlife stamp competition. "They got real excited," says the laconic Matherly. Authenticity is the quality he strives most to achieve in his paintings. What is the highest compliment anyone can pay his See ARTIST on Page 3B.

So long Cincinnati fired manager Ray Knight on Friday. Knight suggests that some players went to management behind his back. Story on Page 3B. Down the stretch Jerry Griffey leads going into the third round of the Muncie District Golf Association's annual tournament, but he knows challengers will try to take the lead away from him. Story on Page 4B.

Females' 14 30-39 11 17and under 18-25 50 28 Males 88 Kyle Evens The Star Press THE SHADOW KNOWS: The games start today, but Friday was a day of preparation at Northside Middle School. What happens if 'No Chance5 plays rnp9 Macker Award acknowledges Kuzma's efforts By RON LEMASTERS The Star Press MUNCIE Things will come full circle today at Northside Middle School when Tim Kuzma officially accepts the 1997 Macker Man of the Year Award. Jerry Edwards, who succeeded Kuzma as director of the Muncie Gus Macker tournament this year, will make the presentation, and it is likely to be an emotional ceremony. Kuzma, the student, presented the first Macker award to Edwards, the teacher-coach. It is a relationship that goes all the way back to Westview Elementary when Kuzma was a budding athlete and Edwards a fledgling coach.

"It's quite an honor," Kuzma TIM KUZMA: "You don't do things with the expectation of winning this award, but it's nice to have an award like this said. "I just really honored to have won it. You don't do things with the expectation of winning this award, but it's nice to have an award like this because we've been able to recognize people who donate a lot of time to others over the years Jerry Edwards and after him, Francis Lafferty and Ramon Avila and that's wonderful company to keep. "Jerry is a very special person. He's the person who engendered my interest in sports, along with my parents, and I just have always looked up to him as a role model.

See KUZMA on Page 4B Baseball scores National League Atlanta 7, Cincinnati 3 -1 Florida 5, St. Louis 4 Houston 5, Montreal 2 Colorado 9, Chicago 3 American League Anaheim 5, Boston 4, 1st game Anaheim 8, Boston 5, 2nd game Oakland 2, Cleveland 1 Milwaukee 6, Detroit 1 Seattle 8, New York 1 Toronto 2, Kansas City 1 Texas 8, Chicago 5 Minnesota 5, Baltimore 2 Late scores Call Pressline at 289-2511. MLB 6770. if -m NICKNAMES: They can say a lot about group's outlook for the tournament. By BRIAN SAPARNIS The Star Press MUNCIE Some are cocky.

Others indicate they are underdogs. A few are serious. Regardless, team names might say a lot about the four-member squads which will compete today and Sunday in the Gus Macker 3-on-3 basketball tournament at Northside Middle School. Some of the apparent confident teams include: "Dream Team," VT-TT7 'No Hope'? following teams: "Armed and Dangerous," "In Your Face," "America's Most Wanted," "Bad Boys," "Brat Pack," "Girls With Attitude," "Prison Queens" "Nothin Nice," "Ball Hoggs" or "Thugs." The tournament is not solely for youngsters. Teams like "Elder Statesman," "Pass the Motrin," "Old-Improved Oxymorons" and "Grumpy Old Men" will try to show they can still put the ball in the basket.

Meanwhile, teams like "Auf Wiedersehen" and "The Lebanese Glow Worms" will try to add a foreign flavor to the event. most recent draft. Punter Brad Maynard was picked in the third round by the New York Giants and is in camp. Long an admirer of Bronco free safety Steve Atwater, Gilliard will have the chance to learn the nuances of the professional position from his idol. Atwater has played eight seasons with Denver.

Gilliard was the last of Denver's three draft picks in April. The Broncos had no draft choices after the fourth round. At Ball State, Gilliard was a two-time all-Mid-American Conference selection and was a unanimous choice last year. competition pretty seriously. Why else would they call themselves "Strictly Business," "Hardcore Hoppers," "Whatever it Takes" and "Never Say Other teams are not so serious teams like "Cheese 152 Again," "Four Wayz to Freak" "Super Psycho Slouths," "Aneurysm," "Asbestos," "Blah, Blah, Blah," "Clash with Reality," "We Play for Beer," "Frog-Steal-Ball," "Green Eggs and Ham," "In God We Trust," "Shorty, Lanky, Stuby and Stanky," and XLG." The sportsmanship award probably will not go to any of the pre-season schedule at home tonight against Buffalo, but Bronco team officials said Gilliard would not be in uniform.

Gilliard, born in the Bronx, N.Y., and raised in Connecticut before moving to Indianapolis CORY GILLIARD: Ex-Cardinal signs 3-year contract. in his junior year of high school, was the second Ball Stater taken in the 0 Ball State product signs with Broncos Houston Astros Bom: Dec. 11, 1964, Middletown, Ohio Notes: I a 1 Howard played for Ball State from 1984 to 1986 Has been In major leagues since 1990. STAR PRESS STAFF REPORT DENVER Former Ball State defensive back Cory Gil-liard signed his first professional football contract Friday. Drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL draft, Gilliard signed a 3-year contract that could be worth as much as $723,000 with playing time and performance incentives.

The basic contract is for $521,000, plus a signing bonus of $30,000 and another $44,000 if he makes the Broncos' 1997 roster. Denver will open its RBI 19 RBI 201 Statistics 1997 (.265 average) AB 2B 3B HR 65 170 15 45 11 1 3 Career (.270 average) AB 2B 3B HR 742 1994 250 538 100 21 30 EZ3 Howard has also played for San ll HiAnn rbitaland and Cincinnati. -i 1997 The Star Press.