The Charleston Daily Mail from Charleston, West Virginia • Page 13

POINTED FIGHT W.Va. Slate's Tim Garrison (left), Ollie Hunting compete in the javelin SPORTS MAIL By DON HAGER Aialttaat Sports Editor Tackles 20 Hours WHEN A UNIVERSITY'S star athlete avoids classrooms as well as he evades tacklers, the news travels fast. Ditto for an athlete who completes his four years of eligibility and leaves school without a degree. So let's spread some good news. "West Virginia University ail American fullback tight end Jim Braxton, took final examinations this week.

While one might think that big Jim's mind would be filled with dollar signs after being drafted by the Buffalo Bills, the Connellsville, native was thinking of something else. BRAXTON TOLD WVU publicist Dick Polani "When I chose college, I just started out to play four years. I really didn't care about anything else. Growing older, however, I felt I did have an opportunity to get a degree. That degree means as much to me as a pro contract.

"I remember a magazine article when I was in high school that showed how rough the football was in our area; it was probably the roughest in the United States, It also showed how bad other things were. It really gave me something to look forward to." So Jim Braxton, called "the best tight end in the country" by Penn State Coach Joe Paterno and "maybe the country's best football player" by Philadelphia sports writer Roger Keim, will receive his degree this spring, TO DO SO, he took' TWENTY hours, this semester. Boxing, Karate Show THERE'S AN unusual sports event scheduled Saturday SissonviUe Sports Show, a combination of boxing and karate. The program at 30 p.m. will be held at the Faith Community Center, a recreation facility opened on a 14 aere site last year on Casdorph Road by the Faith Gospel Tabernacle.

Folks out there (three miles north of Charleston on Rt. 21, turn left at Bonham's Dairy and go a quarter mile out Casdorph Road) have put 35, 000 into the center and hope to eventually add $20,000. They play basketball, hold dinners, drew 3,000 people to a home show and have plans for the future. Main event of a 12 bout card pits Ft. Bragg champion Larry Moore against six time Golden Gloves state king Allen Tackett, The karate exhibition will feature Mr.

Kong, a Korean who holds a sixth degree black belt. TfCKETS ($2 for ringside, $1 general admission) are available at Carney Wright's barber shop, Haynes Hardware and the Mountaineer Drive In. Keeping Check EVERYONE should have a hobby. Frank Offutt of St. Albans has one that keeps him as busy as the fellows he keeps track of.

That's his keeping track of where high school athletes go to college. Frank, who works at Monsanto, follows the re cruiting game by going through about 30 newspapers a week, writing sports writers who also keep tabs and checking out all star games all over the country. Frank has two one for major colleges and one for small schools and. by the end of last year, for example, knew the whereabouts of about 250 of 1970s best high school senior athletes. ALL THIS reminds that Coach and Athlete magazine publishes a high school Ail American basketball team.

This year's "Super 10" includes: 6 9 Les Cason of East Rutherford, N. 6 4 Jimmy Dan Conner of Lawrenceburg, 6 9 Pete Crotty of Rockville Center, N. 6 3 Mike FSynn of Jeffersonville, 6 8 Bob Guyette of Ottawa, 111., 6 foot Ray Lewis of Los Angeles, 6 3 Andre McCarter of Philadelphia, 6 9 Tom Roy of South Windsor. 6 7 Campy Russell of Pontiac, 6 10 Ed Slahl of Columbus, Ohio. Roy will attend Maryland, Flynn and Conner will be going to Kentucky, Cason and Lewis to Long Beach.

THAT'S NEWS to most folks, but not to Frank Offutt. For Stote Conf. Meet State Planning Surprise' SAM HLNDMAN Daily Mai! Sports Wrcer Buck Dawson, West Virginia Sates track, coach, lies sur lie feet, of toe opposition by lie for me to walk over to laches in a atoet four surprise, the football field with him asd ax W. Va. Weslev throw the javelin." aw.

thottSh." Garrison had the ume ana, Not oclv did thai toss bnng 1 3 Tr 'Tt: tavrba in last years atr rn within reeord opposition in the 22nd annual I fea' sharing StateCoofereice track meet, team" with him." which begins at 5 p.m. at Laidley Field. i Garrison further destroyed kit anommrtv wnwi HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Mike Wells, George i rtrmmei. Trent, 4 I Willie Mays, looks at the the teams in the National League. "As you know, I wasn't drafted bv any of the teams in the NFL," said Biddle, his voice reflecting disappointment.

"I had been contacted by some of them and received a few letters, but no one contacted me after the draft." Thus, the Aiouettes announced on Tuesday that the 6 225 pound linebacker, a third team All America choice, would he playing for them. "It's a one year contract Biddle said from his home in Durham, N. C. "If I make the team, the Aiouettes will get me a full time job and give one of baseball big cake at his 'a all time greats, 40th birthday cele me a salary 514,000, plus more if we get in the playoffs. "After the NFL draft, 1 seriously thought I would try out for one of the clubs, bat I changed my mind when the Aiouettes contacted me." Biddle is among the most recent players signed by Canadian clubs.

Others are Jim Stillwagon, All America middle guard from Ohio State; Joe Theismann, Notre Dame quarterback and No. 2 in balloting for the Heisman Trophy; Georgia Tech lineman bration. The "old man" is batting ,368 this AP Wirephoto. AT LEAST FOR BIDDLE Canada sWhereMoney Is! By KEITH WALTERS Daily Mail Sports Writer There was no tug of war for the professional football services of Dick Biddle, former Parkersburg High School and Duke University star. BIDDLE PLAYED the tug of war game by himself, choosing a firm contract offer i from the Montreal Aiouettes of the Canadian League over a lane shot trvout with one of Rock Perdoni, an AP first team All American, and Greg Barton, former Detroit Lion quarterback who signed with the Toronto Argonauts rather than negotiate with the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL.

Biddle believes there are two reasons for the snub given him by the NFL. "My height is one reason," he said. "I've also had a lot of injuries." He didn't play football as a I junior because ol a Knee opera lion, but he missed only one game this past season despite I a broken finger, a chipped i bone in his hip, a back injury Pa. All State QB To WVU MORGANTOWN wi Andrew Fiorante, a 6 1, 190 pound quarterback sensation of Newcastle (Pa) High School, will play football at West Virginia University. Fiorante was named to Pennsylvania's all state first team, was named an all American by Scholastic Coach Magazine, and was most valuable player in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League.

He completed 59 per cent of passes for 1,500 yards, and marked up a three year total of 41 touchdown passes. and a problem with his knee. HE WAS named national AP Lineman of the Week after an outstanding game in Duke's 21 13 victory over West Virginia University. Biddle cited other reasons for the choice of Canadian football made by American players. "There are guys like me wno own get arauea or i didn't get drafted very high," he said.

i "Another reason is that the Canadian teams are starting to otter a nine an oi money. The NFL teams aren't offering much money to guys who didn't get drafted very high. A lot of guys are going where the money is, and you can't fault them for that." Biddle, one of six children of Dr. and Mrs. Robert Biddle of Parkersburg and younger brother of Bob Biddle, former VMI football standout, says he's looking forward to a chance to play pro football.

"1 REALLY like to play football," he says. "I'm look inc forward to nrovina myself as a pro football player." And fling it he "Around 175 feet, even though be stood i almost still and had terrible i form," said Dawson. for the surprise either as it? i be hurled the javelin feet sUrred eicite reveal iSeif according to i in the "It was in late March or ment wiUun Garrison a regu Dawson in the emit Morehead. Invitational, i early April" recalls Garrison, lar end for toe Jackets grid the iavelin of the two day i despite poor weather. "Mv weight class was can crew, and he immediately be event i Nooatheless, Dawson is con celed.

and Coach Dawson gan to read literature and fident Garrison appearance stopped me. He asked if 1 had study still photos on the tecn DAWSO.VS SURPRISE, conference meet will i some time, explaining he'd niques of throwing the in capturing its third consecu the conference track champi onsbip, is a huge foot 3, 200 pound Tim Garrison. And though Dawson has tried to keep the Garrison story under wraps until the Jackets commence their expected head to head battle with Fairmont State's power Falcons, he has not been totally successful. It's all Garrison's fault, too. But, the sophomore accounting major, who made his initial appearance on the track scene less than six weeks ago, isn't in the doghouse at State.

a understandable, though, since all he did State Conf. Schedule, Records VaulT (f Long Juflio (flu's) urns 7:00 itfays Uriah) .15 U) (IrUli) 7:30 109 llrialil 7:44 130 Hitfi HunJta Uriah) ran (t Run (rinals) 1: 10 Kurd It) Stale. 9.7 Htm I Mill 2JS Savs9 W. Va. State, 21 7 (fAun i5c0ffr" miiM riarrii.

Tyrone Itifior, Pledger, Davis Elkins.ji J. 1WI S3.1. Hynt, (Plevser, DIE, i Cunmnflrn W. Stttfc 3:15.1 Concord, Don Riley, 3:23.9. 'lW) State Ohm Dale Fairmont Javelin LOftf Jump J.is» Harris.

v. Vi.jiM (William v. SltlhlZ I Triple Jrhn Fox. West IBruta ST.nard. V.r i DAILY Ar.o since is ns first 140 appearances, Garri is even more enthLsiastic.

I'm aiming for the NAIA standard required to qualify for the national cham pioflsiiips in Billings, Montana he said. hoping for good weather this weekend. When I threw the javelin Wesleyaa. it was ideal. And out of four throws, three of them were over 190 feet.

"And the distance surprised me," he added. ''In high school at Dunbar, I played only football and baseball. The closest to throwing the javelin for me, I guess, was throwing cattails." AS TO the conference meet, he isn't sure who'll finish with i the javelin title. "I'm just glad Ollie is on my team. He's a compeutor, and it'll be tough," Garrison said.

I just hope we can finish with the first two places for i State." i. Ke anticipates it'd help the Jackets claim another title, which probably won't be de s' cicied until the final event in Saturday night's session, 4'; which begins at 6 p. m. Tickets for the meet SI n' for adults and 50 cents for students with I. D.

cards per MAIL WORTS SECTION THREE FRIDAY, MAY 7, 1971 PAGE 25 BAT PRACTICE HELPS ALSTON BREAK SLUMP LOS ANGELES Breaking out of a losing streak is Walter Alston's favorite trick. He's done it lor so long it's become almost routine to the Los Angeles Dodger manager and even he doesn't know exactly how he does it. Take Thursday night for example. The Dodgers had lost four of their last five. What did Walter do? "I liked the way Jim Le febvre was hitting in batting practice and when he was pinch hitter," Alston said.

"I just thought he might help." The result shows why Alston has been managing longer than anyone in the major leagues. Lefebvre, starting for the first time in a week, responded with a home run and a double in the midst of a four run inning as the Dodgers defeated Cincinnati 5 2 on a cold. rainy night in Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers, who took two of the three games from the defending National League champion Reds, now lake on the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three game weekend series opening tonight. Don Sutton, 0 3, will oppose the Pirates' Bob Johnson, in the opener.

Cincinnati continues its road trip to San Diego where Don Gullett, 3 0, will open against the Padres Friday night. Lefebvre's homer and double backed Claude Osteen's nine hit pitching. Osteen, who had a string of 18 straight scoreless innings against Cin cinnati snapped when Johnny Bench walloped his 10th home run of the year in the eighth inning, posted his fourth victory in six decisions. IN THE ONLY other National League game. Larrv Dierker captured his fifth straight victory without a loss as Houston beat Montreal, 5 2.

PE TE kSTOWN STAR TO ATTEND DUKE, PLAY BASKETBALL PETERSTOWN Neil Cliinault, 6 6, 200 pound basketball star of Peterstown High School was signed Thursday to a four year athletic scholarship at Duke University. Chinault was named first team Class AA and second team big all state. Chinault, the state's 12th leading scorer, averaged 26.3 points with a single game high of 45. He was signed by former West Virginia University basketball coach Bucky Waters. DICK BIDDLE Headed To Canada.