Nanaimo Daily News from Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada • 9

ladder avigne climbs fastball 5 DAILY FREE PRESS Tuesday, September 1. 1987 9 Sports Editor: Kevin Mitchell 753-3451 ''When I joined Lynnwood-Wheaton, they got me a clerical job with Davidson and Sons Custom Brokers," said Lavigne. "The Australian team will also get me a job, and will give me access to a car and a place to live as well as paying my airfare. All I have to do is pay for my food." The Australian opportunity came out of the blue for Lavigne. "After the provincials the Australian coach phoned Adrian Lavigne (he's not my dad), who coaches Alpha Sports," said Lavigne.

"Adrian reccomended me. He felt I could do the job. I was very surprised because I had only been pitching seriously for a year." The calibre of ball is comparable to B.C. with a couple of exceptions. "They say it's pretty well the same as here except that they're a little better offensively and a little weaker defensively," said Lavigne.

"They've got nothing for pitchers or catchers which is why they have to import players." In the future, Lavigne has her sights set on a spot with the Canadian national "I would love to play on a national team," she said. "My aim is play in the world championships, but that's every player's goal. I've seen them before and they look like a lot of fun." BY AL CAMERON Staff Writer Fastball has been very, very good to Penny Lavigne. The 19-year-old Cedar resident has been moving up the fastball ladder steadily ever since she took up the sport at the age of five. A lefthanded pitcher, Lavigne joined the CKEG Senior Ladies team when she was 16, and last year helped them to the Western Canadian Senior Ladies championship.

Over the winter she was contacted by the Lynnwood-Wheaton Senior A Ladies team in Vancouver and she helped that team to a second-place finish in the B.C. finals behind Alpha Sports, who went on to win the national championship last weekend in New Brunswick. She was named the Most Valuable Player of the tourney after pitching a pair of complete game wins. Now Lavigne is hoping to-make an impact on the international fastball scene. On Sept.

25, she flies to Australia where she will join tle ACT State team based in Canberra, and will play on that territory's rep team for the Australian national finals. All this success has come somewhat as a surprise to Lavigne. "I knew you could travel a lot if "My main goal when I got there was to strike out Tracey Hucklack," said Lavigne. "I did it the-second time I faced her on a changeup. She didn't even swing the bat.

1 haven't struck her out singe." Lavigne was not the top pitcher on the CKEG squad last summer, but she worked all winter on trying to become a better pitcher, and she says her pitching improved dramatically in Vancouver. "I picked up a curve and I probably increased my speed by 10 or 15 miles an hour," she said. "I just have to learn a rise ball, which is probably the toughest pitch to learn for a woman. I've been doing a lot of training with my boyfriend Martin Mathieson (who plays for Quarterway Hotel locally), and we'll be working right up until I leave." Being a good pitcher helps Lavigne on and off the field. you were good but I never figured it would happen to me," she saijd.

"It was a real big step for me when I joined CKEG, and then last year, I couldn't believe I was playing in the Vancouver A league. I'd always dreamed of it." Lavigne says just about every facet of her game was improved. "The pitching was obviously better it was faster and they had more movement on the ball," she said. "They have some of the top pitchers and batters in the country," At 19, Lavigne was" one of the youngest plaefs-W the highly competitive Vancouver League. But Lavigne earned instant respect wjien she national team member Tracey Hucklack, who was the first Canadian woman to hit a home run over the men's regulation fence.

A VA I I V''- -t. My golfing dream Kevin Ai, Mitchell "A on SPORT Ai Cameron Photo Penny Lavigne shows her pitching form prior to Australian trip them all together when I use a driver. My short game is better than average and fortunately enables me to play with guys who consistently outdrive me by 75 yards. I believe hitting a moving baseball is easier than hitting a stationary golf ball simply because when you hit a baseball, you're doing it out of reflex. It's a reactionary movement.

But when you hit a golf ball, there is so much free time you out-think yourself. You worry about your grip, take a few peaks at your feet and then blow your drive. In addition to my lust for breaking 80, I also dream of recording a hole-in-one. I know it's possible for a sports editor to do such a thing because Leduc Representative sports editor Mario Annicchairico aced the 160-yard fifth at Rundle (near Edmonton) earlier this season. To help me realize these two dreams, I often wonder if new clubs would help, but I doubt if a set of Ping clubs would improve my game by more than a stroke.

The- best idea for breaking 80, since I plan to remain a go-getter, seems to be quitting after 12 holes and lying through my. teeth. 1 Sport Briefs Somewhere, sometime, I'riA going to conquer the game of golf. And by conquer I mean break 80. For most of us fairweather golfers, the sport provides a love-hate relationship that would put any soap opera romance to shame.

I played 18 holes Saturday at Mt. Brenton in the annual Tony McColl Memorial Tournament and had a good time. However, I did blow about a dozen shots and apprised myself by swearing urfuer my breath so as not lo embarass the other members of njy foursome. I My most embarrassing shot Saturday came with crazy Chris Dubinsky watching on the next fairway. My ball was in a bit of a hole onia clump of dirt and instead of moving it (like I usually do) I played it fair and bounced a blooper about 30 yards.

Let's face it, nothing should be easier than hitting a stationary ball around a well-manicured grass surface on a warm, sunny day. Nothing could be tougher, though. Golf is without a doubt- the most frustrating' sport I've ever played. Hitting off Roger Clemens "Defending against Larry Bird. Returning a Boris Becker serve.

All would be child's play compared to knocking a golf ball inter 18 holes in 72 strokes. The closest I've come to breaking 80 in the past 10 years is a sizzling 86 on a rather challenging Salmon Arm course last summer and an 87 at Las Vegas' Sahara club four years ago. The rest of my scores have ranged from 89 to 100 with my standard round being a 95. -1 shot a 95 Saturday morning and afterwards, kind of felt cheated. I mean I could have just as easily phoned in my score, slept in and made the awards banquet that evening.

Golf pros in the pasLhave told me that a person's perception of -life has a big bearing on his or her success on a golf course. In other words, an easy-going somebody who is. slow in how he or she approaches things, generally tends to be a better golfer than the go-getter. The go-getter wants success right away. He or she wants a quick fix.

I'm definitely in the go-getter category so that helps to explain why I can't break 80. I guess it wouldn't be frustrating if the successful golfers were the, who get up at 5:30 every morning for a two-mile jog and then spend two hours after work each day pumping iron at the local health club. But I've had 10-year-olds who read greens better than their spelling books out-putt me and skinny, non-athletic, accountant-types outdrive me. I was a go-getter in my teen years as well, but I always shot in the 80's and even surprised myself by making -the high school golf team in Vernon. I guess playing 36 holes a day on weekends and nine holes a couple of days after school must have helped.

Of course, 'instruction and practice naturally help, but I believe there's a level where you're 1 just not going to get any better. I took a lesson a couple of years ago from pro Brian DeGirolamo and although I still remember all 47 tips he gave me on hitting a one-wood, my mind fails to put Haugen sets record Curt Haugen of Cobble Hill drove his Plymouth around the Cassidy dirt quarter-mile ovafsjn a record time of 18.72 seconds tf highlight racing action Sunday. Haugen set the record during qualifying for the main event. In other action, three members of the Oldtimer Racing Association put on a special race with Neil Moore of Duncan getting the win. Cassidy's Sheldon Farrell took the checkered flag in the main event for the second week in a row, nosing out Dirk Zeinstra of Duncan and Fred Champagne of Cedar Other winners included Dave Smith of Nanaimo (B Dash, Slow IS The match was suspended last month at Jarry Tennis Stadium preparing to serve at 5-4 in the third set.

New baseball trick WILLIAMSPDRT, Pa. (AP) To scufiballs and corked bats, add potatoes to the list of innovative baseball tactics in the 1987 season. Williamsport catcher Dave Bresnahan threw a potato at third base Monday during an Eastern League game with the Reading Phillies. Reading's Rick Lundblade, raced for home, where Bresnahan pulled a baseball from his glove and tagged him. When the dust cleared, Lundblade and Reading manager George Culver protested, and plate umpire Scott Potter ruled Lundblade at home.

Bresnahan was charged with an error, but allowed to finish' the inning. Canadian cut MIAMI (CP) Canadfan running back Brian Walling was one of 11 players cut Monday by the Miami Dolphins as coach Don Shula tried to pare, his NFL roster to the 60-player limit. Walling, a native of Mississauga, had signed a two-year contract that was conditional on him making the team. 1 St mneai en i thdtus Heat) and Jeff Townsend. of Cedar (A Dash).

use By The Canadian Press Team USA has emerged as the, surprising early threat to Canada in the Canada Cup hockey tournament. i Hii iiini ii t' iii The Americans upset Sweden, the reigning world Doubles title decided FLUSHING MEADOW, Y. (CP) Pat Cash of Australia teamed with Stefan Edberg of Sweden on Monday to put the finishing touches on their first Player's International men's doubles tennis title. Resuming the doubles final suspended by rain in Montreal on Aug. Cash simply held serve to close out a 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 over fellow Australians Peter Doohan and Laurie Warder.

I. blanked Czechoslovakia in Regina to move into a third-place: tie with Sweden. Czechoslovakia was fifth and idle Finland sixth. Other games Wednesday pit Sweden against Czechoslovakia in Regina and the Soviet Union against Finland in Halifax, The Americans, whd stress defence because they usually do not possess the goal scoring-ppabih ties of their international opponents, achieved their aim Jof winning the war along the boards. THREW SWEDES OFF "They did not allow us to play our champions, 5-2 be- each.

Mats INtesfuW' and Bengt Gustafsson answered for Sweden. Team USA threw its weight around and persistently forecheck-ed until the Swedish offence backed off in frustration. "We're not surprised ati how we're playing," said Olczyk. "We had a tough training camR. We all worked hard.

The "guys that jare here are bustin' their Playing before a near-capacity crowd of 5,47,7 at the Agndome, goaltender Sergei Mylnikovj stopped 23 shots and defenceman Igor Stelnov scored a goal and added an assist to help the Soviet Union record its first win of the tournament after losing to Sweden on Sunday. A fore only 4,474 spectators at Hamilton's Copps Coliseum on Monday night. Team USA, 2-0, meets Team Canada, the only other undefeated entry in the six- game a lot of passing and puck Sweden coach Tommy Sandlin said. BOB JOHNSON happy Czechoslovakia, which tied Team And the Americans also produced Canada 4-4 last nuay, now is winiess in two outings. Denton bags MVP for men's fastball Pitcher-outfielder George Denton of Wellington Hotel was named the Nanaimo Men's Fastball League's Most Valuable Player at an awards banquet Saturday night at Branch 256 Legion.

Denton's strong pitching and home run power helped Wellington finish third in regular season country tournament at 1-0-1, in Hamilton on Wednesday. "We want, to get into the playoffs," said American coach Bob Johnson. "Then you get sudden- Vine of their best offensive efforts in recent years. Bobby Carpenter and Ed Olczyk a goal and an'dssistfor Team USA, and Chris Bob Brooke and Joe Mullen had a goal death hockey and anything can happen." The top four of the six teams advance to playoffs after the round-robin." In other action, the Soviet Union Vladimir Krutov, Alexander Semak and Ahatojy Semenovrrtso scorea lor me hoviets, wnoi outshot the Czechs 27-23. Brian Rintala of league and playoff champion Gentleman G's was named the Most Valuable Pitcher and selected, as the first all-star Cardinals slam door on Chicago hurler.

Derek Parsey of second place Happy Homes was named as the second all-star team chucker. touchdown pass to Troy threw a 13-yard He completed 12 of Johnson in the first qwirter 21 passes for 128 yards The NFL Playeri Association and the greed to finally resume AA CHICAGO (AP) Wide receiver Don Holmes grabbed two touchdown passes, in-i I eluding a toss by Neil Lomax on I final play of the first half I Monday night, to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 20-16 Na- tional Football League pre league owners have collective bargaining negotiations tor a new bn by the NFLPA an agreement, spurred nouncement of a confidenti al strike deadline. current five-year contract Hours before the G's slugger Clarence Ballance, who topped the balloting done by team managers, joined Wayne Martin of, Happy Homes and Terry Hughes of Wheatsheaf Inn as the first team outfielders. Catchers Pete Gittinger (G's) and Gary Appleton (Lantzville Hotel-Terry's Save-Rite) tied for the first team starting role, while rounding out the infield were first baseman Mark Clavora (Quarterway Hotel), second baseman Ken Niesen (Wellington), shortstop Ferd Hobson (Quarterway) and third basemanDave Wylie (Northbrook-Balmoral).

Pat Battie (Quarterway), Paul Koster (Happy Homes), Lindsay McLeod (Quarterway) and Lome Smith (Lantzville) all made the second team as outfielders, McLeod and Smith tying for their positions. Catcher Dave Morrisey (Quarterway), first baseman Nick Giannakos (Northbrook-Balmoral), second basemen Jeff Bates (Northbrook-Balmoral), shortstop Rod Simpson (G's) and third baseman Rick Banks (G's) filled up the second team's infield. League president Frank Hanna expects as many as three new teams to enter the league next season. Hanna said the awards banquet drew 175 people. because of a lack of progress in negotiations." Upshaw said the committee would recommend the strike deadline date to the full board of player representatives Sept.

8 in Washington, adding he wanted the players to consider the date before revealing it to the public. "I think the board has to know first," he said. Hours after the news conference, Jack Donlan, the chief negotiator for the said the parties have agreed to meet later this week, He would not reveal the date or site of the first meeting between the two sides since Aug. 14-15. The earliest the players could strike' is Sept.

15, because the union on July 15 gave its mandatory 60 days' notice of a possible strike to the National Labor Relations Board and the league's 28 teams. the union's' nine-man ex- expired at midnight, ecutive committee on Monday set a deadline for reveal the date. a walkout but would notl season victory over the Chicago Bears. With three seconds left in the half after the Cardinals had blocked a Bear field-goal attempt, Lomax lofted a 38-yard pass into the end zone that Holmes grabbed after it bounc NEIL LOMAX TO passes "I wish I could say that we have made a lot of progress," NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw said. '-'Over four years ago 1 started down this road hoping to reach an agreement short of a work stoppage.

"Today I'm not so optimistic that will occur ed off two Bear defenders. St. Louis had a 13-2 halftimelead. Lomax, playing only in the first half, also TIGERS HOLDING ON TO LEAD NIEKRO CUT LOOSE fA3f pa I 4 i A 1 A A Hi '( V. TORONTO (CP) The Toronto A Blue Jays, making a last-minute pitch 1 1 for the American League East Divi- the showdown month for baseball's pennant races.

With Dave Dravecky pitching a five-hitter Monday night and beating the Montreal Expos 5-0 for his shutout since joining the Giants, the team increased its lead in the National League West to 4' 2 games over left-handed pitcher Mike Flanagan from the Baltimore Orioles. I Blue Jays chartered an A airplane so that Flanagan, 3-6 with a the second-place Houston Astros and tofeix over the third-place Cincinnati Reds. The Giants broke a five-game winning streak by the Expos, who fell into third place and six games behirid the NL East leading St. Louis Cardinals with the loss. This is the -first time the Giants have been division leaders in September since 1971, the last time they won the title.

the season. Niekro said he would be in unilorm next year, as a player or a coach. An 11-year veteran, Flanagan had played only with Baltimore in his major-league career. He has 139 wins and 109 losses. Flanagan, 36, said in Baltimore that his contract, worth $625,000 US this season, was guaranteed by the Blue Jays through the 1988 season.

Flanagan had the right in his contract with the Orioles to veto the trade. Flanagan, it was hoped, would counter the powerful left handed bats of the Detroit Tigers, leaders by one game over the Jays in the East. In the California win, Toronto reliever Tom Henke's string of 17 consecutive saves came to an end Monday 'night against the Angels. Henke was pitching in the ninth inning when the Angels scored the tying run, and in the 11th inning he delivered a high, hard fastball that got past Blue Jays catcher Ernie Whitt and allowed Jack Howell to score from third with the winning run. The Angels' 8-7 victory before 30,234 at Exhibition Stadium moved them three games back of the division-leading Minnesota Twins in the American League West.

A The Jays, who scored seven times 'in the seventh inning to overcome a 6-0 deficit, remained a game behind the Detroit Tigers in the AL East. The Tigers lost 7-2 to Cleveland. Angels starter John Candelaria brought a 6-0 lead into the seventh but Toronto scored seven times in the inning. The'Angels tied the game with a run in the ninth when Henke issued 'a lead-off walk to Wally Joyner, who moved to, third on Buckner's broken-bat single and scored on an infield grounder. "It's September, boys!" one of the San Francisco Giants yelled as the clubhouse clock ticked closer to 4.94 earned-run average this season, could join the team by midnight Monday night.

By making the deadline, Flanagan became eligible for post-season play. In order to make room on the 24-man roster, the Blue Jays released veteran knuckleballer Phil Niekro MIKE FLANAGAN a Jay the confidence and level of intensity is great. Everybody comes to the park ready to play and ready to win," said Dravecky, who pitched for a pennant-winning San Diego team in 1984. after Monday night's 8-7 loss to the California Angels. Niekro, 48, was 0-2 after being acquired by the Jays from the Cleveland Indians ort July 9 and was 7-14 on.