Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 41

12 ST PETERSBURG TIMFS This invention can help fishermen and the fish Retrieving hook properly is important for conservation How to use the Hook Plucker Eugene Turner of St. Petersburg Beach is marketing a device called the Hook Plucker, which can be used to help take a hook from a fish without harming the fish. Here's how It works: outdoors By DAVE MARKETT Twnt Conatpondonl ST. PETKKSIH'KG BEACH Kugene Turner looks the part of the fisherman. It shows in his face when he smiles through hundreds of sunburned wrinkles.

It shows in his hands, thickened hy constant contact with fish and swollen from the minor infections that come with the cuts from their fins and teeth. What you can't see is the mind of an inventor who has had to devist solutions to the problems that face those who spend their spare time in pursuit of fish. His ability to come up with practical solutions to common di- ir lemmas is confirmed by the United States patent that has been awarded his "Hook I'lucker." Long before catch and release fishing became necessary due to overfishing and closed seasons, Turner had thought of the Hook Mucker. He had seen the results of close contact with fish too often. Fish such as catfish, stingrays, puffers and dogfish have the potential to inflict dangerous wounds with poisonous spines.

And barracuda, king and spanish mackerel, dolphin and sheepshead have teeth that can cut to the bone while ff a fish is hooked down inside of the mouth, straddle the hook with the end skrt of the Hook Plucker. If a fish is hooked around the top of the mouth, where the hook can be teen, catch the hook with the tide of the Hook Plucker and pul fishing Bne tight flopping around on the deck as a lure or hxik is dislodged. Also, undersized or unwanted fish can suffer fatal damage while being unhooked. Growing weary from the sight of small fish floating belly up after being unhooked and of anglers bleeding from cut fingers, Turner devised the Hook I'lucker. The device resembles a forked gaffhook.

On one end is a handle, and on the other is a notch and a fork. The plastic I'lucker is 15 inches long and can also serve as a measuring device. When using the I'lucker. the angler holds the fishing line about a foot in front of the fish. He holds the I'lucker in his other hand and slips the notch in front of the lure or hook.

The fisherman then spreads his hands and flips the fish, bringing it off the hixik. A little practice can direct the fish into a cooler or back over the side into the water without ever touching the fish. Marine scientists tell us that contact with a wet rag or human hands can destroy the protective slime on fish skin, causing the fish to die from infections. As anglers become more sensitive to conservation and as protective regulations shorten seasons and increase size limits, the ability to release fish without harm to angler or catch heroines more important. Turner's Hook Plucker idea might have come before its time, but anglers can benefit from its use.

Contact Turner at 360-0302 in Pinellas to find out where you can get one. Hold the Hne and the Hook Plucker tight, push and twist on the hook, and should come loose. Give the fish, quick, brisk flip, and the fish should be freed of the hook. rmN photo KATHLEEN CABBIE Eugene Turner of St Petersburg Beach uses his Hook Plucker. OR THE RECORD Lau's hitting theories live on with his son BASEBALL By RANDY CREMER Ton Conoondnt ST.

PETERSBURG The legacy of the late Charley Lau's hitting theories have lived on through disciples like Kansas City's George Brett. And now there is another Lau legacy Charley I.au Jr. FSL statistics Copyright By Hawa Nm Buraau THROUGH THURSOAVS OAMBS Club batitna r4 i1 Mi Lau Jr. began his professional career in St. Petersburg on Thursday as a catcher for the Miami ciuk ab He sbavo.

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Louis Cardinals called up Peters, a left-handed reliever, from Class AAA Louisville, joining starters Greg Mathews and Joe Magrane. That trio was largely responsible for the Cardinals' 78-62 record in '85. Mathews went 13-1 with St. Petersburg before being promoted to Louisville in mid-season. He reached the big leagues last year and went 11-8, while this year he is 8-8.

Magrane went 3-1 with St. Petersburg during the stretch run. Last year, he split the season between Louisville and Arkansas (AA), and he's 6-3 as a starter with St. Louis this year. Peters joined the '85 Cardinals after winning all 12 decisions at the University of Oklahoma and then his next three at Savannah, lie won his first three with St.

Petersburg for an 18-0 start in 1985 before finishing 4-3 with St. Petersburg. Peters was 13-4 last year between Springfield (A) and Arkansas. This year, he started at Arkansas before being promoted to Louisville and then to St. Louis.

Peters allowed two hits and no runs in one inning in his major league debut against Pittsburgh Tuesday. A hard-working Tarpon: In baseball, there are plenty of stories of players succeeding in the lower levels, only to wash out when they move toward the top. Centerfielder Steve Davis of the Tampa Tarpons is out to reverse that trend. "I really didn't do so well my first two seasons as a pro," said Davis, a bonus baby when he signed as the Cincinnati Reds' No. 2 pick after finishing high school in June of 1985.

His combined average in his two seasons with the Billings Mustangs of the rookie Pioneer League was .190. Last year he hit .173 in 40 games with three home runs and 55 strikeouts in 110 at bats. Davis has responded to the change of scenery. This season, his average has been a respectable .260 all season. Through 99 games this season he has belted nine homers.

Tinwi photo LINDA LONQ Charley Lau Jr. makes a throw In his first game for the Miami Marlins on Thursday. CHARLEY LAU chance to play and to show my stuff," said Lau who signed with the Marlins on Tuesday as a free agent. "I'm happy to have the chance." Charley Lau Sr. never made an large impact as a player.

He was a .255 hitter in 11 major-league seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Athletics and the Atlanta Braves. His impact on baseball would come later when Brett popularized his theory of shifting the weight from the front foot to the back foot, shifting the weight forward during the swing and releasing the bat with the back hand. Brett, Reggie Jackson, Harold Baines, Carlton Fisk and others were influenced by Lau. So was his son. "When I was younger I really didn't follow it that much," said Charlie Lau Jr.

"Then when I was 15 or 16, 1 could see how it made sense. I began to read his books, I watched his instructional film. I tried to adapt what he was saying. "I think his effect has been felt greater since his death (in 1984). His theories are more used and better understood today." Lau Jr.

is anxious to put the theories into practice. He grew up in Miami and attended St. Thomas Aquinas high school before moving on to Gulf Coast Community College and Huntington (Ala.) College. This spring, he tried out with the Orioles, but wasn't offered a contract. He continued to stay in touch with the Marlins and when the need for a catcher arose, Lau Jr.

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Osteen. the son of Philadelphia Phillies pitching coach Claude Osteen, has been plagued by a bad back recently. Cardinal manager Dave Bialas said last week that he doesn't expect Osteen (10-3 with a 3.64 ERA) to be back Tampa's Tim Swob and Tim Dietz combined to three-hit Fort Lauderdale on Aug. 11. Swob is 8-8 with a team-leading ERA of 2.88.

Dietz, meanwhile, has seven saves and a 2-3 record in 25 innings since joining the team July 4 The Tarpons committed 62 errors in the 45 games they have played since the All-Star break June 26. Correspondent Rick Butler contributed to this SWIMMING And then there were none: Last week, Steve Peters became the third of the three Lake Vista, Franklin Pierce win R.A.P. titles Area 3 and 5 championship AT NORTH SNORI POOL SATURDAY'S RBSULTS Olrtl I and undar back 4 Jannltar Howl 11-11 lr 4 Criitma Kannady IM back Clltma Kannady. IM IM I Crlttlna Kannady. 11-14 traa I.

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Jonannn By BRIAN MAHONEY Tlmti Corripondnt boy! basketball In the 13-15 game, Franklin Pierce came from behind to nip P.A.L. on a pair of free throws by Ross Prince with three seconds left. Prince, a forward, had three baskets in the last minute and finished with a team-high 14 points. Dwight Brown, a freshman-to-be at Boca Ciega, led P.A.L. with 20 points.

The finals ended a successful season for the R.A.P. (Recreation and Police) league, which had more than 300 players. "This is the one program that addresses the older kids," said Lee Metzger, assistant director of the Department of Leisure Services. "We want kids to feel comfortable with cops to create a positive relationship, so they're not someone to be afraid of. "We're responding to a general feeling from the city's youth of 'What's anybody doing for Swlthar.

IM lly 1. Jonathon Swlthar. lot IM 14 13 I. Jonathon Swlthar; 1. Slav Fayar.

11.11 ST. PETERSBURG Lake Vista Community Center won the 16- to 18-year-old title, while Franklin Pierce Community Center won the 13-15 title Saturday night in the finals of the R.A.P. summer basketball league. Lake Vista defeated Childs Park Community Center 63-59, while Franklin Pierce beat St. Petersburg P.A.L.

46-44. Both games, sponsored by the St. Petersburg Police Department and the Department of Leisure Services, were held at the St. Petersburg Junior College gym. The 16-18 game went into overtime, as Childs Park outrebounded the taller Lake Vista team to stay even with the favorites.

But the height advantage wore down Childs Park as Lake Vista pulled away in the overtime period. SO Ira 4. Andr Faoar. 10 brait t. Andr Fagar; I.

Orag Farro. 100 back 7. ErHt Farr. IM Lakewood star Barry Brown had 15 points for Lake Vista, including three slam dunks, while James Morris of Gibbs led Childs Park with 16 points. Brown was coming off a stint in the Wild-wood league, and admitted that the R.A.P, league isn't on the same level.

"I would have liked to get the ball more tonight, when we needed it," he said. A big reason Barry is in the league is because of his fondness for Police Athletic League activities, he said. He goes to the city P.A.L. facility to play pool and lift weights, he said. 71 71 71 71 a IM t.

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