The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 71

Wednesday, November 13, 1991 Heartland-3 THE TAMPA TRIBUNE In The Area Pough moving up in Indians9 chain II llllllll.lllllllll.ll- mi I III. ill ii I III I J. .1 Mil 1 1 juun ill 1 .1 I.H I II I II II I iiiil V.V i I i Men's softball tourney set this weekend A Tribune Staff Report ARCADIA A men's softball tournament, sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Depart-" ment and the DeSoto County Adult Athletic Association, is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at the-Speer Ballfield, located on North Arcadia Avenue. The Class ASA double-elimina- tion tournament will allow a three-home-run limit with everything else counting as a single. Trophies will be awarded to the first three places.

Team entry is $100 plus 2 Blue' Dot balls. Deadline is today at 4:30 p.m. Call 494-2000. Basketball league to meet Nov. 20 AVON PARK A church-', league basketball meeting will be held Nov.

20 at 7 p.m. at the Avon Park YMCA building for all church- es that have a team or would like to have a team in the YMCA Call Jorge Varino at 452-9622. Also, T.G. Bailey's restaurant is" sponsoring a 3-on-3 basketball tournament Saturday in Sebring to bene-: fit a Christmas for Kids Fund which supports local needy families. The five divisions include Open, 40-over, 6-feet-over, bar and and ladies.

Play will be half court and begins at 10 a.m. Games will be played to 15 points. There also will be a free-throw shooting contest. Entry fee for the tournament is, $45 a team and deadline is today. Call 385-5011.

Boy Scouts set golf tournament LAKE PLACID The Lake-Placid Boy Scout Troop 482 will, sponsor a golf tournament at Placid; Lakes Golf Course on Nov. 23 with 1 p.m. shotgun start. By HOLLY CAIN Tribune Staff Writer AVON PARK Former Avon Park baseball standout Clyde Pough has been a man on the move. He's already made a quick journey from the Cleveland Indians' Class A Columbus, team to its Triple-A Colorado Springs, club this past season.

Pough received the call to Colorado Springs in May, and though he went 0-for-2 in two games, the promotion was a well-timed boost to his career. "Clyde had a heck of a year for us and we decided to give him some exposure at the higher level," said Dan 0' Dowd, the Indians' director of player development. "We wanted to reward him with exposure. His work habits came along. The talent was always there." Pough, known as "Chop" to his friends and teammates, was the Indians' third selection in the 1988 amateur draft.

He was the Class 2A-District 12 and Tampa Tribune's Player of the Year his senior year of high school in 1988. In 1990, his first year out of rookie league, Pough led the New York-Penn League in assists (170) and double plays (15) at third base. Offensively, he led his Watertown, N.Y., team with a .323 batting average, including his first professional grand slam. This past season at Columbus, Pough hit .307 (127-for-414), had 11 home runs, 38 extra-base hits and 73 RBI. Though Pough posted good offensive numbers, hitting became a personal battle between his defensive and offensive mind-sets.

Pough began letting fielding errors affect his concentration at the plate. Since high school, Pough has played six different positions, including pitcher and outfield. This past season represented another defensive move. He played his first 10 games at shortstop, then was moved to third base. He played all of 1990 and started the '91 season at third.

Midway through this season, Pough was moved to the outfield, splitting some time as a designated hitter. "It can get to you, moving all the time," Pough said. "I thought when I was playing third base that was my position, then I got a letter during the off-season telling me to report as an outfielder. I thought that was just a mistake, but when I got to spring training my, manager told me to get rid of my infielder's glove. "I've got a good collection of gloves now.

I don't have a catcher's mitt, though, so I hope they don't move me there." Last month, during Instructional League in St. Petersburg, Pough was moved to first base and O'Dowd said that is where Pough will remain, for now. "You have to remember Clyde was young, only 17 years old when we signed him," O'Dowd said. "The maturity takes time, and now he's realizing that baseball is his profession, and is taking the correct approach. The move to first base during Instructional League seemed to settle his whole game down.

Now he can put everything into his game at the plate." It seems Pough has an inherent advantage of understanding baseball. Since sixth grade, he has lived with his cousins, Tom and Anthony Gordon. Anthony currently pitches for the Kansas City Royals' Class A club at Baseball City. Tom has spent the last three years pitching for Kansas City and was the runner-up for The Sporting News' Rookie of the Year in 1989. "Tom is really my role model," Pough said.

"All three of us help each other out and called each other every week during the season. I really look up to Tom, and I can't wait to face him." If Pough's career stays along its present course, it may not be too long before he has the chance. Tribune photograph by STEVE PEREZ Clyde Pough spent some time with Cleveland's Triple-A affiliate this season. Ho optimistic after making changes in game PflPPBPBPOPOPPPPOOOPPPP fPVC PATIOl IFull-Color Comics I Every Day in The Tampa Tribune Jt 6410 U.S. 27 S.

SEBRING (ACROSS FROM AGRI-CIVIC CENTER) 385-9393 MON-FRI 9-5 RAT 9 Tennis Joey Johnston fTTVn 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 EE GRENELEFE GRAND PRIX At Grenelefe Resort EAGA HISTOMA COW MOSOTMOS Men A Singles Tim Wahl. Palm Harbor, del. David VanDyke, Winter Park. 5-7. 6-4.

6-1, 6-3: Men's Singles Jeff Custred, Lakeland, del. Bob Mayes. Lakeland, 6-2. 6-2: Men's Singles Rob McGuire. Sebring.

def. Rick Wright. Lake Wales. 6-1. 6-1; Men's A Doubles Rodney Hollinger and Ted Roberts.

Sebring. def. Gordy Barron. Dundee, and Jim Martinez. Winter Haven.

6-0. Men's Doubles Larry Johnson and Bruce Wyse, Sebring. def. Brian Cooper and Steve McAuliffe. St.

Petersburg. 6-2, 6-3: Men Doubles Joe Avello and Mike Baczynsky. Orlando, def. Skip Hoenicvke and Bob Mayes. Lakeland.

6-4. 6-3: Women Doubles Doris Broadhead. Orlando, and Ramona McAmis. Kissimmee. def.

Mary Hill and Peggy Sisemore. Sebring. 6-0. 7-5; Women Doubles Nancy Dixon and Susan Price. Sebring.

def. Fay Roberts. Lake Wales, and Lois Stafford. Babson Park. 6-2.

6-3: Mixed Doubles Janie Hollinger and Bruce Wyse. Sebring. def. Kim Hastings and Tom Priest. Winter Haven.

2-6. 6-1. 6-1; Mixed Doubles Skip Hoenicke and Tina Hoenicke. Lakeland, def. Linda Miller.

Winter Haven, and David Hurley. Haines City. 6-3. 6-3. TAMPA TENNIS ASSOCIATION GRAND PRIX At HCC Boys IBs William Cangeme def.

Kevin Bnen 6-2. 6-1; Boys 16s Shaun Hollister def. Brad Gordon 6-2. 0-6. 6-4: Boys 14s Mac McGrath def.

Chris Gatt 6-3. 6-3: Boys 12s Brien Nelson def Steven Riddle 6-4. 7-6: Boys 10s Sean Main def Shaun Melville 6-0. 6-2; Girls 16s Tresa Williams del. Abby Jenkins 6-2.

6-2; Girls 14s Nina Kumar def. Tara Harm 6-4. 6-2: Girls 12s Candace Garcia def. Mane Kennett 6-3. 6-2.

lAyude a la Legislatura del Estaclo de 4 Florida en la demarcation dejos nuevos Distritos Congresionales, para los proximos diez afios. Professional tennis can mean glamour, fame and riches beyond any teen-ager's most outrageous dreams. It also can mean frustration, injuries, self-doubt and plenty of lonely times in faraway places. Just ask Tommy Ho of Winter Haven. He was the talk of the tennis world in 1988 when he won the Boys 18s national title at Kalamazoo, Mich.

He became the youngest male player to win a Grand Prix match (15 years, 2 months) and the youngest to compete at the U.S. Open. At the end of the year, he turned professional. Since then, though. Ho has been scrapping and struggling to make it.

His world ranking reached a career-high No. 180 last year and has settled back to No. 225. While other American teens such as Jim Courier, Michael Chang and Andre Agassi have zoomed to the forefront, Ho has labored in the background. But Ho's spirit never has been broken.

"I haven't been paying too much attention to my ranking," Ho said. "The big difference has been that now I feel that I'm competing well. That's a big key. There's not much difference between 200 or 300." And that's where Ho has been gravitating since he turned pro. His name and juniors reputation has helped him receive a few wild-card entries into tournaments.

But more often, he has forced to qualify. Sometimes, that means playing two or three preliminary matches just to reach ground zero. Ho is hoping better days are ahead. He skipped most of last spring's clay-court season and Wimbledon because he changed from a two-handed to one-handed backhand shot. The two-hander has been kind to many great players, such as Chris Evert and Jimmy Connors, but Ho felt a switch might open another dimension to his game.

He worked with former tour player Larry Stefan-ki most of the summer and is feeling comfortable with the change. "I've definitely changed my game," Ho said. "I'm getting more focused. The one-hand backhand, it was my decision. I wanted to do it.

It's tough. I've worked a long time on it, and I've been putting in some long hours on it." It paid off in September with Ho's finest performances of the year. He reached the final of a $50,000 Challenger tournament at Bloomfield, losing to Chris Pridham, 6-3, 6-4. Then, he reached the semifinals of the ATP Tour Classic at Ponte Vedra, falling to eventual champion Jonathan Stark, 6-2, 6-3. Ho had won the Ponte Vedra tournament in 1990.

"Any time I play In Florida, it's special for me," Ho said. "It also means a lot to play at the ATP Headquarters, where I've been working out a lot. I know the environment. It's Very, very relaxing." Ho plans to spend even more time at the ATP Headquarters. He has rented an apartment nearby and will make Ponte Vedra an alternate training base, along with the Grenelefe Resort, where he continues to work with his long-time coach, Rick Maccl.

Ho will spend Thanksgiving in Mexico at another Challenger tournament, a vivid example of how unforgiving the pro tennis life sometimes can be. But he'll continue to chase the computer points. Maybe one day he won't have to qualify for tournaments any longer. And maybe one day he'll recapture the attention and fervor that surrounded his juniors career. "As good as he was, as dominating as he was in the Juniors, Tommy still needed to make a big transition Into the pro ranks," said Tom Ross, the agent who rep-resents Ho at Advantage International, a Washington, D.C-based sports management firm.

"He still had one foot In high school. He was trying to juggle being a regular guy and an International tennis player. That's tough, real tough. "This next year should be Interesting. He's 18, going Atienda a las auaiencias publicas que se celebraran en las direcciones que a continuation detallamos: Nov.

21-24 Second Annual Thanksgiving Tennis Tournament at Temple Terrace Tennis Center. Men and women singles and doubles A C. Boys and girls 12s through 18s singles and open mixed doubles. Entry tee $15 for singles. S10 for doubles.

Entry deadline Nov. 19 Call 855-5471 or 989-7182. Nov. 22-24 Senior Classic at Racquet Club of St. Petersburg.

Men 35s through 55s. singles and doubles Entry fee S20 for singles S10 for doubles. Entry deadline Nov. 18 Call 527-6553. Nov.

23-24 The Tennis Connection Annual Harvest of Fun Tennis Tournament at Food Drive. Held at various apartment communities in Town Country area to benefit homeless in Tampa Bay area Men and women 32-player draw for singles and doubles with divisions in 3.0-5 0 and open. Entry fee $18 for singles. $15 for doubles. $30 for both Entry deadline Monday Call 855-9617.

Nov. 23-25 Junior Championships at Mission Inn Resort. Howey-in-the-Hills. Boys and girls 12s through 16s Entry fee $16. Entry deadline Nov.

20. Call (9041 324-3101. Nov. 23-25 Pete Wolfberg 3rd Annual Junior Championships at Paradise Island Golf and Tennis Club. Treasure Island Boys and girls 10s through 18s.

Entry fee $16 for singles. $8 tor doubles. Entry deadline Nov. 20 Call 360-6062. Nov.

23-25 Fall Classic at River Crossing Country Club New Port Richey Men and women 25s. singles and doubles Entry fee $20 for singles. $10 for doubles Entry deadline Nov. 20. Call 376-8069.

Nov. 29 Dec. 1 Thanksgiving Championships at City of Winter Haven Courts Boys and girls 12s and 14s Entry fee $18 Entry deadline Nov. 26 Call 297-4027. Nov.

29 Dec. 1 10th Annual Junior Invitational at Cypresswood Golf and Country Club. Winter Haven Boys and girls 16s and 18s. Entry fee $18 Entry deadline Nov. 26 Call 324-3742.

Dec. 7-9 1 1th Annual Holiday Bowl at Grenelefe Resort. Haines City Boys and girls 12s through 18s Entry fee $20 for singles $10 for doubles Entry deadline Dec 3 Call 421-5012. Dee. 14-16 Junior Singles Classic at Hunter Green Tennis and Athletic Center.

Boys and girls 10s through 18s Entry fee $18 pre-paid. $22 on site Entry deadline Dec. 11 Call 973-4220. Dec. 14-16 Winter Open at Mission Inn Resort.

Howey-in-the-Hills Men and women s. singles and doubles. Entry fee $16 for singles. $9 for doubles Entry deadline Nov. 11.

Call (904) 324-3101. Dec. 14-16 FT A Designated Invitational Tournament at Carrollwood Village Goft and Tennis Club Men and women 25s through 75s. singles and doubles. Entry deadline Dec 1 1 Call 961-1366 Dec.

27-29 Sun Country Senior Classic at Fort King Tennis Center. Ocala Men and women 35s through 50s Entry fee $18 for singles. $9 tor doubles Entry deadline Dec 24 Call (904) 629 8453. Lunes, 18 de Noviembre de 1991 6 p.m. a 10 p.m.

Camara de la Comision del Condado County Courthouse 2do. Piso, Oficina 214B 419 Pierce Street Tampa on 19. He has matured a great deal. There are no more school worries, so it's a full year of International tennis. Every coach you talk to paints a rosy picture.

I think Tommy is very anxious to get back out there and win some matches.".