News-Journal from Mansfield, Ohio • 34

1 to PAGE TWO--C Mansfield, News Journal Sunday, February 23, 1969 fred tharp Sports Editor, The News Journal Cards Fill Baseball Nine IF TIME MACHINES could "recapture" baseball players, the St. Louis Cardinals could field a team of "most valuable players." Fourteen Cardinals, a record, have won the National League MVP award since its inception in 1924. The latest was, of course, Pitcher Bob Gibson. He's the third Redbird slabster to gain the honor. Here's the position by position breakdown of the Cardinal MVPs: Pitcher Gibson, Dizzy Dean (1934) and Mort Cooper (1942): Catcher Bob O'Farrell (1926); First Base Jim Bottomley (1928), Stan Musial (1946) and Orlando Cepeda (1967); Second Base Rogers Hornsby (1925) and Frankie Frisch (1931); Third Base Ken Boyer (1964); Shortstop Marty Marion (1944); Left Field Joe Medwick (1937); Center Field Stan Musial (1948); Right Field Stan Musial (1943).

BOB WATKINS, ROOKIE righthander pitcher with the Astros, compiled a remarkable strikeout record during three years in the Houston system. In 396 innings pitched, the 20 year old native of San Francisco struck out 421 opponents. He stated in a questionnaire submitted to the NL office that he began playing ball when he was three years old. He added: "I used to play in my' sleep. My mother would wake me up to keep me from banging on the wall taking my time at bat." An Affirmative Argument WE'RE GETTING A bit all of these guys who keep baseball is waning.

Now Grote that says it isn't so. this as he is the No. 1 League. However he backs figures compiled by Orland the Houston Astros. Says the distinguished refutable evidence that maintained a steady increase pared to the continuous tion.

squishy in the tummy from hollering that interest in comes a missive from Dave Grote, of course, would say drum beater for the National up his argument with some Sims, a publicity hack with Grote, "These figures offer irNational League baseball has in popularity when comgrowth of the nation's popula- "The National League started, as we know it, in 1961. It is claimed that baseball has lost interest in this country, but the following figures indicate the opposite. Thirty nine times since 1901, the National League has increased its attendance from one season to the next not bad when you include one extreme depression, one major recession, two World Wars and other major military conflicts in which the country has been involved." NATIONAL LEAGUE Year U.S. Population NL 76 million 2 1910 92 million 3.5 1920 106 million 4 1930 122 million 5.5 1940 131 million 4.4 1950 150 million 8 1960 179 million 10.5 200 million 11.8 1900 census figure. Census is estimated.

(This is a "round numbers" comparison pared with the baseball attendance figures ATTENDANCE COMPARISON Attendance Those Attending NL Games million Avg. 1 of every 38 million 1 of every 26 persons million Avg. 1 of every 26 persons million Avg. 1 of every 22 persons million Avg. 1 of every 30 persons million Avg.

of every 19 persons million Ava. 1 of every 17 persons million Avg. of every 17 persons of the United States, population as comfor "Census The Man And His Bat NO DOUBT BECAUSE he did it, new Washington Senator manager Ted Williams believes it is possible for someone to hit .400 again, "Although I suppose it's harder now." He mentions Cincinnati's Pete Rose, who hit .335 last season. "He gets a lot of singles well. If only I could have had is he a good enough hitter And can he be lucky, too, if that it takes? "I hit .388 when I was 39 years ago and I couldn't run field hits that year.

Mickey many as he did I would have and doubles, and he runs his speed. The question is, to hit the long ball enough? he has the really great year years old. That was only 11 a lick. I didn't get many inMantle got a lot. If I got hit .430." WASHINGTON'S FRANK HOWARD, the 1968 home run king, hit at least one homer in every American League park except New York's Yankee Stadium.

Big Frank hit only 18 of his 44 home runs at D. C. Stadium, 26 on the road. He hit five each at Boston and Cleveland, connected nine times against Baltimore and nine times against Detroit Of the 1,104 home runs hit in the American League last season, 533-were hit by home clubs and 571 by visiting clubs. Tiger Stadium was No.

1 on the homer parade with 182, 107 by Detroit batters. From The Sports Samovar TWO LEXINGTON HIGH basketball scoring at Grove America candidate Jeff points per game while John clip. A third former Lexington erts, is averaging 3.6. The a senior, Cochran is a junior Claypool has averaged 25.4 Grove City career. His best a products are one two in City (Pa.) College.

All Claypool.is the leader with 28.4 Cochran is hitting at a 13.7 High player, Dave Robsix foot seven Claypool is and Roberts, a sophomore. through 80 games in the output was a 29.6 average as POLE VAULTER Bob Seagren has decided to pack it in after the current indoor season. Just the grueling indoor grind. He'll continue trying to reach the clouds outdoors. He holds the outdoor record of 17 feet, inches and the indoor mark of 17-6.

His last indoor effort was a winning 17-1, his ninth 1968-69 victory on the indoor circuit One time Mansfield Relays champion, Willie Davenport has now broken or tied world records seven times this indoor season in the 45, 50, 60, 70 and 120 yard events. The Story Teller's Corner NEW WASHINGTON relaxed and in good humor was asked if he would "tolerate ament like Ted Williams had "If he can hit like Ted LITTLE SPORT TOP TRAINER By Alan Maver FOR THREE YEARS IN A ROW HE'S BEEN THE LEADING MONEY WINNING THOROUGHBRED TRAINER IN THE UNITED STATES. IN 1966 HE BECAME THE ONLY TRAINER IN HISTORY TO SADDLE WINNERS OF OVER $2 MILLION. EDDIE NELOY, TRAINER FOR THE PHIPPS FAMILYWHEATLEY STABLE, 15 BACK AT HIALEAH GETTING A START TOWARD RETAINING HI5 TITLE. HAS TOP PROSPECTS FOR THE TRIPLE CROWN EVENTS, A5 WELL AS ALL THE OTHER RACING CATEGORIES, LAN MAVER, by King Features Syndicate Swimmers Heading To District Meet BOWLING GREEN Four among 18 entered in the to be held at Bowling Green and Saturday.

Swimmers from Mansfield Ashland, and Colonel Crawford The top four in each event lumbus March 7 8. The diving will be held Friday beginning at 1:30 p.m. The swimming will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday and continue to about 6 p.m. In the swimming, heats will be run in each event with the winners determined on time.

Toledo St. Francis has won the team title two straight years and is favored again. A Mansfield school has nev-, er won the team title, though Mansfield Senior, was runner up in 1961. Malabar stands the best chance of placing high this year. The Falcons posted an season and won both the Malabar Relays and the Cardinal Conference meet.

HORVATH EYES MARK Jeff Horvath of Malabar is expected to set a record in the breaststroke. He has been timed in 1:03.7, which is the best in Ohio. Horvath, a junior who finished third in the state meet as a sophomore, ord of 1:05.3 set Bill Orton will be out to break, the recof Malabar two years ago. Horvath won the breaststroke in the district meet last year, but his time was seven 10ths of a second off the record. Ohioans Stay Near Miami In Mid-Am ATHENS (AP)--Greg McDivitt fired in 35 points Saturday to lead Ohio University to a 86-80 Mid-American Conference basketball victory over Marshall.

The triumph keeps the Bobcats within one game of league-leading Miami with each team having one conference game remaining. Ohio plays at Bowling Green next Saturday afternoon while Miami travels to Toledo next Saturday night. If Ohio wins and Miami loses, the two teams will play Tuesday, March 4, for a berth in the first round of the Mideast NCAA Regional Tournament. All five Marshall starters, led by Dan D'Antoni's 20 points, hit double figures. Marshall held Ohio Gerald McKee, who dislocated his thumb in the game, to nine points.

McKee has now scored 1,251 career points for the Bobcats, one point shy of the all-time reclord held by Don Hilt. Dave Groff, former Crestview star, hit two field goals and four of eight fouls for Ohio. The triumph gives Ohio a 14-8 season record. The Bobcats are 8-3 in the MAC. Manager Named CHICAGO (AP) Mel Wright, a former Chicago Cub pitcher, was named manager of the Cubs' Huron, S.

farm club in the Northern Baseball League. 1-2 Car. 0 Gel Natue wed Fight jim murray Los Angeles Times Spiked Helmet (c) 1969, The Los Angeles Times NEW YORK When a guy's nickname is "Butch," chances are better than ever his last name has got an or on the end of it. It's Stokowski, or Grossmeyer, or McGuire or Lapidus. When a guy's last name is Van Breda Kolff, chances are good his first name is "Count" and he's wearing a monacle or a spiked helmet.

He's got a name you can't pronounce unless you have a cold. You don't say it, you sneeze it. It sounds like the name of a guy whose figuring out how to surround Paris or to make rockets. "Butch" and "Van Breda Kolff" come from opposite sides of the track. They go together like tomatoes and ice cream, ketchup and waffles, maple syrup and pizza.

So, when you got a guy whose 1 real handle is "Willem Van Breda Kolff" but he turns around when you yell, "Hey, Butch!" you've got a very complex individual, indeed. Butch is a Holland Dutchman who flunked out of Princeton several times, but determined to become the best basketball coach Ivy League ever had. When you leave Princeton, you usually go directly to Oxford. Or Wall Street. When Butch Von Breda Kolff left, he went 1 direct to Los Angeles and the Lakers.

A professional basketball team. Not a few people around the Nassau Club had to have explained to them not only what a professional was, but where Los Angeles was, and who the Lakers were. Not One Lie Still, the state department didn't lose much when Bill Von Breda Kolff opted for the NBA. He has that dread, non-, communicable disease. He's pathologically honest.

Almost his first public utterances were, "Sure, Los Angeles is but I wish everyone would stop telling me. I'm beginning to feel like the guy who's in paradise, but is beginning to wonder if it's worth it." His next step was to bench Elgin Baylor one night. "He has been a great player. I didn't want him to embarrass explained Von Breda Kolff. Los Angeles gasped.

It was as if he had been caught painting mustaches on paintings, eating with his fingers, or poisoning pigeons. Butch Van Breda Kolff is the guy who, if you're standing on a street, not tap you politely. He will bellow, "Get the hell off my feet, you dummy!" He would be no good at all in diplomacy, court, as a spy or a church prelate. Like Willie Shoemaker, the next lie he tells will make a lifetime total of one. Those of us who knew him, watched with amusement when Owner Jack Kent Cooke to him this past delivered Wilt Chamberlain was like watching a guy open a package that a fake snake would pop out of.

Wilt Chamberlain thinks coaches should be drowned at birth. Butch Van Breda Kolff thinks 7 foot basketball players should be in tents Van Breda Kolff won 307 games as a college, coach at such basketball "factories" as Hofstra and Lafayette, and sometimes his whole team wouldn't have as much as height as Chamberlain and Mel Counts together. Listen To Butch He even put the knock on his own game. "Some nights don't see how we keep the customers, awake," he com- he ed. time, comes in loud and clear.

The walls begin to buckle and the, paint to melt when his team. is behind. In the arenas where the dressing rooms are close together, one coach told me he just opens the vent and lets his team listen to Butch. Butch starts to sneer the minute he takes his seat on the bench. He knows his am, the officiating, the The Million-Dollar Messiah game is all going to be beneath contempt.

No hero worshipper, he has been heard to say of his superstar called the super dipper Wilt, "On some nights, the worst basketball 1 player in the history of the game." Even Bill Russell does not awe him. "I got a 5 foot 11 guard once who blocked more shots than he does. How many shots would he block if he were 5 11?" Butch had 30 fouls called on him last year pretty good for a guy in a suit and tie. He fouled out of more games in one year than Wilt Chamberlain has in his career (Wilt's total is zero, but Butch is gaining on the league's registered hatchet men). Finger In Eye He gets on his knees more than a monk.

His hair falls in his eyes before the tip off is over. Anguish is written over his. face for four periods. "Why," he will scream a foul is called on one of his guys for merely sticking a finger in the eye of the other team's pivot man. The Lakers played a game in Milwaukee that flies would have avoided.

Van Breda Kolff's face was black with rage before it was over. And after. His team is leading the division in a league where all you really have to do is finish fourth. "If I had my way, I'd fire the lot of them!" roared Van Breda Kolff, nevertheless. He just may have the best three men ever to play on one team.

"My backcourt couldn't fall on a fumble," he complains. "With Jerry, West out of there, we couldn't get the ball if it was gift wrapped." He won the divisional title last year with a team that was an important 7 feet 2 inches shorter than this one. But even if he wins the Lakers' first championship ever in LA in four games this year, Butch Van Breda Kolff is not going to satisfied. "My last Princeton team would have it in three!" He may roar at his athletes. GB Williams Facing Tough Test By JAMES R.

POLK WASHINGTON (AP) Ted Williams, the million dollar messiah named to lead the last place Washington Senators into baseball's promised land, flew back to Florida Saturday to face the toughest test of his life. Williams will plunge spring training with the Sena-1 tors Monday to find out whether he can pass on to a rag tag crew of losers and castoffs a significant part of the easy, awesome skill that made him the game's greatest living hitter. RICHEST BONANZA The Senators are betting $1.2 million the richest bonanza ever paid a manager in baseball history that Williams can. Robert Short, the new owner of the dismal American League club brought Hall of Fame hitter back into baseball with a fabulous five year contract as manager, vice president and part owner of the Senators. Fittingly, Williams's first regular season game manager will mark the start of Baseball's centennial year with President Nixon throwing out the first ball for the traditional opener in the nation's Capital April 7.

The former Boston Red Sox slugger, emerging eight years of baseball retirement, faces a massive rebuilding job with a team of tinsel and tar paper. "This may be a long, hard grind for a Williams said. DEDICATION FIRST He said he would begin by trying to teach drive and dedication, bring young ballplayers a full awareness of how much success in the sport can mean for their lives. In his commitment to cation and determination, Williams sounded akin to Vince Lombardi, the Capital's other celebrated sports immortal hired to revive the Washington Redskins. Williams cracked, "I'm new in this racket, but I'm sure we'll win more games than the Redskins." The Redskins play only a 14 game season in the NaItional Football League.

STOLEN PLATE Well, it happened. Somebody stole home plate from the Robert F. Kennedy Stadium (formerly D. C. Stadium) in Washington.

It was pried right from the nails holding it down. Joe Mooney, kneeling, the stadium groundskeeper said he thinks it may have happened at night. Stadium guard, Andrew Jackson, standing, is investigating. (UPI Telephoto) Mansfield area schools are Northwest District swimming meet State University here Friday Senior, Mansfield Malabar, will be entered in the meet. qualify for the state meet in Co- DISTRICT SWIMMING RECORDS 200-yard medley relay 1:44.4 (Gary Cramer, B.

Rowe, Mark Mathias, Stevens), 1968. 200-yard freestyle St. 1:50.2 Dave Marker, Toledo Francis, 1968. 50-yard freestyle 22.4 Dave Pack, Lima Senior, 1967. 200-yard individual medley 2:06.4 D.

Diving Hyland, Toledo 230.70 St. Francis, Aaron 1968. points spechler, Lima Senior, 1968. 100-yard butterfly 54.4 Paul Gilbert, Sandusky, 1968. 100 yard freestyle 49.8 Bob Zahn, Toledo St.

Francis, 1966. 400 yard freestyle 4:00.4 D. Hyland, Toledo St. Francis, 1968. 100 yard breaststroke 1:05.3 Bill Orton, Mansfield Malabar, 1967.

100 yard backstroke 59.4 Dyke Edwards, Toledo St. Francis, 1968. 400-yard freestyle relay St. Francis, 1967. MEET ENTRANTS Ashland, Castalia Margaretta, Findlay, Fremont Ross, Huron, Lima Senior, Lima Shawnee, Mansfield Malabar, Mansfield Senior, Marion Harding, Colonel Crawford, Perkins, Port Toledo Clinton, DeVilbiss, Sandusky, Toledo Sandusky John's, Toledo St.

Francis, Toledo Whitmer. Basketball DEPT. BASKETBALL RECREATION, LEAGUE Team Pet GB (x) Stroh's Beer 1.000 Boathouse 2 .667 The Elms .667 Richland Lumber .667 Jimmy's Lounge .667 Regal Aire .333 Corps .000 United Telephone .000 3 (x First half champion.) GAMES THIS WEEK at Creveling Boathouse Telephone vs. VS. Regal, 7:30 p.m.; Jimmy's VS.

Stroh's, 8:30 p.m.; Elms vs. Richland, 9:30 p.m. ELEMENTARY LEAGUE GAMES THIS WEEK American League at Woodland SATURDAY Brinkerhoff Oilers VS. Carpenter Raiders, 9 a.m.; Hedges Jets vs. Raemelton Chargers, 9:45 Prospect Bengals vs.

Ranchwood Chiefs, 10:30 a.m.; Mansfield Christian vs. Grubaugh Patriots, 11:15 a.m. National League at Creveling SATURDAY Springmill Steelers Empire Rams, 9 a.m.; Stadium Browns VS. Creveling Cowboys, 9:45 a.m.; Fleming Falls Bears vs. West Fifth Eagles, 10:30 a.m.; Niners, Newman 11:15 Redskins vs.

RoseForty a.m. YMCA BASKETBALL GAMES THIS WEEK SENIOR HIGH CHURCH LEAGUE TUESDAY First Methodist vs. First United Baptist Presbyterian, vs. St. 6 Luke's p.m.; Park Lutheran, Ave- 7 p.m.; gational, Ontario 8 p.m.; Methodist Holy vs.

Trinity First Lutheran vs. St. Peter's, 9 p.m. -0- FRIENDLY HOUSE BASKETBALL GAMES THIS WEEK INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE NON MONDAY Martin Hardware vs. Mansfield Horse Club, 6:30 p.m.; Mechanics Building and Loan vs, St.

Peter's CYO, 7:15 p.m. JUNIOR LEAGUE WEDNESDAY Junior Optimist vs. Peoples Federal, 6:15 p.m.: Main Street Methodist vs. St. LEAGUE Mary's, 7 p.m.

CLASS 'B' WEDNESDAY Jones Chips vs. Gerber Cleaners, 7:45 p.m.; Mansfield Brass vs. St. Peter's CYO, 8:30 p.m. CLASS 'C' LEAGUE SATURDAY St.

Peter's Sixth Shaw and Oft, 9:10 a.m.; Stadium Chiefs VS, Stadium Rockets, 9:50 a.m.; St. Mary's Cubs vs. St. Peter's Fifth, 10:30 Regal Aire vs. Yuncker's, 11:10 a.m.

Seven Contests Played In Loop Seven basketball games were played Saturday in the two divisions of the Mansfield Recreation Department's elementary league. MANSFIELD RECREATION MENT ELEMENTARY BASKETBALL American League Ranch wood Chiefs Raemellon Chargers 12 Hedges Jets 8, Mansfield Christian 3 Brinkerhoff Oilers 28, Prospect Bengals Carpenter Raiders 21, Woodland cos 0 (forfeit) Leading scorer: Franandes (Che), 10. National League Newman Redskins 15, Creveling Cowboys Roseland 10 Forty-Niners 17, West Fifth Eagles 13 Stadium Browns 14, Empire Rams 9 Springmill Steelers 19, Fleming Falls Bears 13 Leading scorers: Turner (BR), 12; Neighbors (FN), 10. By Rouson F-H Slates Deadline Entry deadline for the 33rd annual Friendly House basketball tournament is set at 2 p.m. March 10.

The tournament, which runs 11 days, is open to teams in three age groups. All ages are figured before March 1. The Class tourney is ope to teams composed of those not yet 13, Junior tournament for those not 14 and Class for those not yet 18 years old. Boys who played on junior high (seventh, eighth or ninth grade) varsities, high school varsity or reserve teams, are ineligible the tournament. Entry fee for Class is three dollars, four dollars for Junior and five dollars for Class JUST 10 PLAYERS Williams, well remembered -for his wet and wild feuds with fans and sports writers, was warm and candid at a news conference Friday night.

"I hope I have matured a little more," he said. In two decades with the Red Sox, Williams led the American League in hitting six times and wound up with a lifetime average of .344. He hammered 521 home runs and is the last man ever to bat over .400, eclipsing the magical mark with .406 in 1941. The Senators are starved for that kind of hitting. For 22 straight years they have been bogged down in the American League's second division and have not won a pennant since 1933.

Williams, tall and still trim at 50, rushed here from his Florida fishing hideaway for the news conference that climaxed a week of complex negotiations on the plush contract. He made a rare appearance in a tie the Western string type over his white sport shirt. Lawyers wrapped up the contract for Williams to sign after the news conference. Details were not made public, but Short confirmed the slice of stock in the club will make Top Topic Top Topic COLUMBUS (AP) The question of freshman eligibility in some sports is expected to be a major topic of discussion when the Mid American Conference Council of President meets here Wednesday. Pro-Shop Mahek's Recreation Ph.

683-1164 Crestline 707 S. Thoman St. Bals Bags Shoes See Us For Your League TROPHIES Our Trophies Engraved At 3c Per Letter Low Prices Expert Ball Fitting the rookie manager the highest paid pilot in baseball. Williams, who will be vice president of the Senators' is getting an option to buy a restock ported 10 worth per cent chunk I $940,000. Estimates on his annual salary ranged from $50,000 to 000.

Other clubs, notably the Red Sox, wooed Williams in the past and found him unwilling. At one time, he vowed, "You couldn't pay me enough to manage." Williams said, "I can only tell you, from the heart, I'm happy to be back." He held out a flag of truce to the sports writing clan with whom he had warred in the days when he was known as the bad boy of Boston. "Regardless of what you've heard and regardless of what you think, I'm not a hard guy to get along with," he said. -YUNCKER'S SPORT QUIZ WHICH HORSE LOST ONLY ONE OUT OF 22 NATIVE DANCER LOST ONLY ONE RACE AND THAT WAS TO DARK STAR. A 25 TO I AT THE KENTUCKY DERBY 1953 Want WINNING performance from your Sport Equipment? Come over to YUNCKER'S where you'll find the latest, largest, most complete stock of Sport Goods to be found.

Vincker's 155 CLINE AVENUE MANSFIELD a Phone 756-2666 Each team is allowed only a list of ten players. The list must be approved and signed by school principals to certify ages. Only the first 12 entries in each class will be accepted. An added stipulation for the Class section is for grade school boys from sixth grade down. Trophies will be awarded to the winner and runner up in each class.

Entry blanks may be obtained at the Friendly House and returned to Mike Wentz, care of the Friendly House; 380 North Mulberry Street, Mansfield 44902. The tournament dates are March 17-20, 22, 24-27, 29 and 31. Bet You Didn't Know SPORTS FANS! By TOM HOLLINGWORTH Here's quite a sports oddity Did you know a man once won the 26-mile Marathon Race in the Olympics by running the ENTIRE 26 miles in his bare feet! The man who did this was Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia in the 1960 and, another oddity him is that he had never before run in a marathon race in his life yet he was able to beat the best marathon runners in the world in the Olympics, and set a world record! Here's an oddity Three of the greatest players in pro football, college football and baseball in the last decade Jim Brown, O. J. Simpson and Sandy Koufax all wore exactly the same number Brown, Simpson and Koufax, oddly enough, all wore number 32! Here's a tough basketball, question for you Everyone knows the Boston Celtics have won the most championships in the history of the National Basketball Association but see if you can name the team that's won the next-most What's your guess Answer is the Lakers They've won the NBA title 5 different times to rank second to the Celtics who've won it 10 times.

MANAGER Ted Williams was at a news conference. He a player with a temperas a player." Williams, yes," he answered. I bet you didn't know We have Mud and Snow Retreads and regular retreads at one low price of $11.00, any size, blackwalls, this week. HOLLINGSWORTH TIRE CO. 500 Newman St..