The Montgomery Advertiser from Montgomery, Alabama • 19

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 1985 Florida Evaluate 'GonSinuin in i PHILLIP with NCAA probation as well as long-range, or "life after sanctions." Southeastern Conference Commissioner Boyd McWhorter, reached by telephone at his office in Birmingham, said, "Florida has been a valuable member of this conference," and that he hopes the Gators will continue as a member of the 53-year-old league. Georgia football coach and Athletic Director Vince Dooley said he was astounded to hear that Florida threatened to quit the SEC. "I would almost have to see that statement before I would believe it, and I would be surprised if he did," Dooley said. Wilford Bailey, Auburn's faculty athletics chairman, said the decision of the school presidents was law, so far as he was concerned. "The SEC has, since its beginning, been run by presidents and chancellors," Bailey said.

"I've always understood that, accepted that, and had no question to any action they take. "The University of Florida has been a participating member of the conference since the beginning. I personally would hate to see any member drop out." Bailey, representing Auburn President James Martin, voted against vacating the championship at last week's meeting. Alabama President Joab Thomas, who also voted last week to let the Gators keep the football championship, said he would be shocked if Florida actually seceded from the conference. "It would not surprise me for them to protest, but I would be very surprised if they withdrew from the conference," Thomas said.

Bob Woodruff, athletic director at Tennessee, the school that spearheaded the campaign to strip Florida of its crown, said the matter has already been decided. "The SEC has always been run by the presidents. It is a voluntary organization and certainly any school has the right to withdraw," Woodruff said. "I would hate to see any school drop out, but the matter is out of our hands." 't McWhorter said the matter was also out of his hands. The school presidents who voted to remove the title would have to answer Florida's latest challenge, he said.

"The title has been vacated officially," McWhorter said. "I don't know of anything else they can do. When the presidents act, that's final as far as I'm concerned." The University of Tennessee's executive vice president, Joe Johnson, said he doubted the school would change its position because of Florida's threat to drop out of the conference. At his news conference, Criser said Florida still regards its 1984 squad as the Southeastern Conference champion and refuses to recognize a decision last week to strip the team of its first league ASU Trustee From Wire Reports University of Florida President Marshall Criser said Monday he is asking the university to "academically and athletically" study the 'positive and negative factors in continuing in the SEC." "That analysis is to be broad-based. It will not only deal with football championships," Criser said at a news conference in Gainesville, adding that the impact on other sports, including women's athletics, would also be considered.

Criser's actions stem from last week's vote of Southeastern Conference presidents, who voted 6-4 to strip the Gators of their 1984 SEC football championship. The vote reversed an April 3 executive committee decision that allowed Florida which recently began serving a three-year NCAA probation term for recruiting violations to keep the title. Criser said the financial aspect of the study would focus on short-range expectations as the Gators cope Defending French Open champion avs.Pa 'Firedr us By MIKE MARSHALL Advertiser Sports Writer As controversy continued to swirl around the status of Alabama State University head football coach Jim Parker Monday, one member of the board of trustees said he considered the issue settled. 'a iV 1. AP wirepboto Martina Navratilova returns shot Monday defeated Italian Anna Maria Cecchini 6-2, 6-2 in quarterfinal match 7r MARSHALL Time Has Come To Take Action At Alabama St.

For the sake of the football program, the young men who play and even head football coach Jim Parker, the time has come for action at Alabama State. Parker should either be fired or retained. Since last January, when four former football players came forward with accusations that Parker had, among other things, played ineligible players, a huge, dark cloud Parker has hung over the Alabama State program. In May, the NCAA leveled several charges of playing ineligible players against the football program and the Alabama State Board of Trustees instructed President Leon Howard to demand Parker's resignation. Howard reluctantly did just that in a letter to Parker on May 7.

Almost two weeks later, Parker denied he had received the letter. When Alabama State was slapped with two years' probation, the NCAA called for Parker to be disciplined. Since then, nothing substantive has taken place. Howard Won't Comment Howard refuses to comment on anything, Parker denies all, Athletic Director Hoyt Taylor pleads ignorance and the players, assistant coaches and public are left to wonder. But there are certain facts that are indisputable.

The NCAA said that 16 ineligble Alabama State players participated in games or practice sessions last season. It ruled nine players ineligible for the coming season. Parker has been in trouble with the NCAA in two of his last three jobs. He was cited in the NCAA's findings that led to one of the stiffest penalties in history against the University of Assistant coaches on Parker's own staff have said Parker discussed the use of ineligible players in staff meetings and made the decision to use them. There are rumors flying everywhere.

One says that Parker has already submitted a letter of resignation to Howard, who is holding it up in an attempt to avoid final action. Parker denies he has written a letter of resignation and Howard refuses to comment. Another says he will only be suspended early next season. Bitter Disagreement There is bitter disagreement among trustees and supporters of the Alabama State program. And there were enough problems before the NCAA probe ever came along.

Alabama State is trying to compete in Division I with outdated facilities and a budget that pales beside the schools against which it competes. Its assistant football coaches are paid for only, nine months, being forced to scramble for other employment during the summer when the coming season must be planned. If Alabama State is to succeed in athletics, it is going to take a united effort. Presently, there is nothing of the sort on the horizon. Unless Parker decides to tell all, nobody will ever know why things took place as they did last football season.

It was clear early that Alabama State wouldn't do a lot of winning, regardless of how many ineligible players were used. Winning in his first season was not expected of Parker, much less demanded. He arrived talking of discipline and making Alabama State football something for the entire city. Instead, good and loyal Alabama State people are embarrassed and angry. Caught Second Time Certainly, Alabama State isn't the first school nor is Parker the first coach to be caught violating the rules.

It is unusual for a head coach to be directly involved in serious violations. Parker was right in the middle of this mess and he was caught for the second time. The law, even NCAA law, deals more harshly with repeat offenders. Members of the board of trustees balk at calling what they did in executive session on May 2 taking a vote. But, according to the letter Howard sent Parker, the board "took action regarding the employment status of the head football coach." It would have been much less messy if Parker had simply submitted his letter of resignation and packed his bags.

He chose not to do it and Howard chose not to force the issue. Now the school and its football program are being dragged through the mud. Only the trustees can do anything about it. It's their move. football title.

Criser also said the school has no plan now to challenge last week's vote of SEC presidents in court, but said he has instructed campus attorneys to review "every legal option open to us." Criser called last Thursday's action at a league meeting in Destin unprecedented "and clearly unauthorized by the constitution, bylaws and rules and regulations of the SEC." He reiterated that stance Monday, saying the vote to vacate the 1984 crown was a "nullity." "The championship was won on the playing field Nov. 17, 1984. The right of the university to retain the championship was confirmed by final action of the executive committee of the SEC on April 3, 1985 The governing rules of the SEC provided for no other review," Criser said. Please see CRISER, 2B eir Hunt Gets Opportunity In Majors Staff and Wire Reports Randy Hunt, a graduate of Robert E. Lee High School, completed a lengthy and occasionally stormy trek to the major leagues Monday when he was called up by the St.

Louis Cardinals. Hunt is in his fifth professional season. Along the way, he has overcome a bout with alcoholism. Hunt, a catcher, took the place of Darrell Porter, who sus tained a broken Hunt index finger in the Cardinals' 8-3 loss to Cincinnati Sunday afternoon. Porter, who also overcame problems with alcohol and went on to star in the 1982 World Series, was placed on the 15-day disabled list.

Hunt was expected to be in St. Louis Monday for the Cardinals' game with the Houston Astros. Before being called up, Hunt was batting .314 for Louisville, the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate. He had 22 hits, one home run and seven RBI in 70 at-bats. Hunt was drafted by the Cardinals following his junior season at Alabama.

He spent his first two collegiate seasons at Chattahoochee Valley Community College in Phenix City. Spurned Earlier Offers Hunt spumed an offer from the Detroit Tigers following his freshman season, then turned down the New York Yankees after his sophomore season. "I drove to Erie after I signed and I was scared to death," Hunt said last year. "It was not what I expected. I thought I would go up there and watch and learn for a while, but I played my first night." Hunt began his professional career by going hitless in his first 26 at-bats.

But he finished with a .297 average with eight home runs and 27 RBI for Erie of the Class A League. In 1982, he batted .289 with 15 home runs and 79 RBI for Springfield, also of the Class A League. He tied for the Midwest League lead with 14 game-winning RBI in 1982. In addition, he was selected to the Midwest League All-Star team. Then came Hunt's problems with alcohol.

"I came home in September and tried to quit drinking on my own," Hunt said. "I had friends helping me, along with my family, but to no avail. Finally, I spent some time with a group in Montgomery and they showed me how to manage my life." Nevertheless, Hunt played in 105 games for Arkansas of the Class AA League. In 1984, he split time between Arkansas and St. Petersburg, another Class A team.

At St. Petersburg, he batted .274 with five home runs and 59 RBI. He completed the season with Arkansas, where he hit .222 with no home runs and four RBI. Feisty Connors Still in For First French Open "As far as I'm concerned he has not i done what he was supposed to do," said Ross Dunn of Lanett, a member of the board of trustees since 1975. "He did not voluntarily resign.

In my opinion, he's fired." Parker, who was formerly head coach at Alabama State from 1973 through 1975, replaced George James last season and had a 2-9 record. An NCAA investigation determined that 16 ineligible players had participated in either games or practices. Alabama State was placed on probation for two years and was ordered by the NCAA to take disciplinary action against Parker. A letter from Alabama State President Leon Howard addressed to Parker and dated May 7 stated that the board met on May 2 and requested that Parker "submit a voluntary letter of resignation from the postion of head football coach." Dismissal Proceedings The letter said that if Parker failed to resign, the board of trustees would initiate dismissal proceedings. Dunn said he was unhappy that the board had not acted promptly in taking further action against Parker.

"I'm real disappointed in the president of Alabama State and in the chairman of the board of trustees, Patsy Parker," Dunn said in an interview with The Advertiser. "The board made a recommendation to president on Coach Parker and I have not received any more communication concerning Parker. As important as this is, we should have had a meeting a long time ago. "We should have said we're either going to accept him or reject him. We can't let this keep going on" Dunn says he will now seek action from Gov.

George Wallace in the matter. Please see ALABAMA, 2B Running Crown teammate Anders Jarryd 6-3, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2. Kohde-Kilsch broke Mandlikova's serve in the ninth game of each set and then her her own service to capture both sets and the Connors' forehand errors virtually presented the first set to Cancelotti. But he bounced back to take the next set in 34 minutes, yielding only six points to the Italian, and then blasted his way to victory with his best tennis of the tournament. "There was some pretty good tennis from me," Connors said afterwards.

Explaining why he lost the first set, he said: "I was rushing myself. I felt so good out there I had to slow myself down." It was Edberg's third victory over the sixth-seeded Jarryd in seven career meetings. PARIS (AP) Hana Mandlikova's dream of repeating her 1981 French Open triumph evaporated in the Parisian sunshine Monday, rudely shocked by Claudia Kohde-Kilsch in this year's $2.2 million tennis championships at Roland Garros Stadium. But Jimmy Connors was still in the running for his first-ever French Open final after he produced a typical scrappy, battling performance to reach the quarterfinals in the men's singles. Mandlikova, who was seeded third and to meet defending champion Martina Navratilova in the semifinals, was stopped by the No.

7 seed from West Germany 6-4, 6-4 in the women's quarterfinals. "I thought I was in good shape, but maybe I should get in better shape," the 23-year-old Czech said after her Connors, the men's No. 3 seed whose Bird Repeats as NBA Most Valuable Player best performances at Roland Garros have been reaching the semifinals in 1979, 1980 and last year, dropped the first set to Francesco Cancelotti of Italy before blasting back to post a 3-6, 6-0, 6-4, 6-2 victory. Defending champions Ivan Lendl and Martina Navratilova each dropped only four games as they continued their march toward repeating their triumphs of last year. Lendl stopped Italy's lOth-seeded Aaron Krickstein of Grosse Pointe, 6-2, 6-2, 6-0, while Navratilova eliminated Italy's Anna Maria Cecchini 6-2, 6-2.

Edberg Next for Connors Lendl will face Argentina's Martin Jaite and Connors will take on Stefan Edberg in the men's quarterfinals. Jaite advanced with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Heinz Gunthardt of Switzerland, while Edberg, seeded 14th, upset his Swedish Davis Cup doubles Milwaukee with 138 and rookie Michael' Jordan of Chicago with 134. Jordan and Cummings had two first-place votes apiece, while Johnson got one. Bird joins Boston's Bill Russell (1961-63), Philadelphia's Wilt Chamberlain (1966-68), Abdul-Jabbar of Milwaukee and Los Angeles (1971-72 and 1976-77) and Malone of Houston and Philadelphia (1982-83) as the only players to repeat as winner of the MVP. The other four repeaters were centers.

A Great Honor "It's a great honor to be considered one of the best players in the league," he said at a news conference to announce the award. "I'm pleased with my performance through the regular season, although I'm not too pleased with it now." Ironically, Bird has struggled in the playoffs although the Celtics have reached the finals and trail Los Angeles 2-1. After making 52.2 percent of his Please see BIRD, 2B INGLEWOOD, Calif (AP) Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics on Monday became the fifth player and first non-center to be named the National Basketball Association's Most Valuable Player in consecutive years. The 6-foot-9 Bird was second in the league in scoring with a 28.7 average and was eighth in rebounding with 10.5 per game. He also averaged 6.6 assists, led the Celtics in steals and shot 88.2 percent from the free-throw line.

73 First-place Votes Bird, who led the Celtics to a 63-19 regular-season record, best in the NBA, and the finals of the championship series, received 73 of 78 first-place votes from a nationwide media panel. Each member of the panel picked five players, with the first through fifth choices receiving 10-7-5-3-1 votes, respectively. Bird totaled 763 points, while Earvin "Magic" Johnson of Los Angeles was far behind in second with 264, followed by Moses Malone of Philadelphia with 218, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of Los Angeles with 206, Terry Cummings of Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird addresses news conference was named NBA's Most Valuable Player Monday.