Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • 51

9 9 9 iff 1 3rd EO. D4 THE HASTFORO COURANT: Tuesday, August 12, 1986 White Sox' Foster: Race Not an Issue Summer Bargains Reports: Chicago 1 ft I II ,1 4 'il 1 Combined Wire Services NEW YORK George Foster said Monday his tongue not the color of his skin landed him in trouble with the Mets and led to his release from the team last week. "Let me make this clear, I did not say the Mets were racist," Foster, 37, said during a news conference Monday at Shea Stadium with Mets General Manager Frank Cashen. "My remarks were not racially motivated. I never said that being benched or being released was racially motivated.

After all, how can my being benched in favor of Kevin Mitchell (also black be racially motivated? "My statements were the straw that broke the camel's back. I never got to see Mr. Cashen to say my side and that's what this is today. I was misinterpreted, everything snowballed and I was released. But it really didn't happen all of a sudden." Last Tuesday, in the Westchester-Rockland.

(N.Y.) newspapers, Foster was quoted as saying: "When a ballclub can, they replace a George Foster or a Mookie Wilson with a more popular white player. I think the Mets would rather promote a Gary Carter or a Keith Hernandez to the fans so parents who want to can point to them as role models for their children rather than a Darryl Strawberry, a Dwight Gooden or a George Foster." Foster said he prefaced the interview with the reporter by saying his comments were not racial He said he knew the Mets decisions were based on economics and that his statements were "analogies," not ongoing situations. "I only wanted to make one small point when I spoke to that reporter," Foster said. "It wasn't that important until it got misinterpreted. Fans look up to baseball players.

Fans don't care whether the baseball player is black or white. Fans respond to performance. To fans race is secondary, if not totally irrelevant "After that the published quotes), Frank Cashen went to Manager Davey Johnson and asked him if he could be comfortable with what was said. Davey said he couldn't and that just started opening the door." The newspaper reporting the story said it was not guilty of any misinterpretation. "We stand by our story," Assistant Sports Editor Chris D'Amico said.

"We feel it was printed as it was said to our reporter Jim Corbett. Said Cashen: "George Foster was not released because of the uproar over the remarks he passed. He is a Christian man and when he says they were misinterpreted, I believe him. "We have been talking about his release since spring training. We decided to continue with him as a limited regular through the All-Star break and then see what happens.

"I had told Davey that I would give him a decision about Foster's fate on the road trip," Cashen said. "At the beginning of the season, the manager said he would start Foster until the All-Star break. At the All-Star break, Davey said he was going to start Mitchell and we would see how George adapted to a part-time role. He didn't particulary adapt to that role." Foster, a former National League Most Valuable Player, also said his representatives have spoken with the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox about a contract once he clears waivers today at 2 p.m. Newspapers in Chicago reported Foster would be signing with the White Sox.

Foster signed a five-year, $10 million contract with the Mets in 1982 after they acquired him from the Cincinnati Reds. This year he was batting only .228 with 13 homers and 38 RBI and had lost his starting left-field job to Mitchell, who has been hitting more than .300. Since July 11, Foster was 2-for-28 with 10 strikeouts. Associated Press George Foster, right, released by the Mets last week, stands with Mets GM Frank Cashen at a news conference Monday. Foster said he wanted to make it clear that remarks he made concerning his playing time and release were not racially motivated.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL REPORT Henderson Blase About Coleman AMERICAN LEAGUE Yankees Notebook Orioles 3, Blue Jays 1 Mike Flanagan gave up only two hits in 8V3 innings, and a sixth-inning error by Toronto second baseman Garth lorg broke a scoreless tie as Baltimore ended its losing streak at five Monday night with a victory over the Blue Jays in Baltimore. Don AaM got the last two outs for his 29th save after Ron Shepherd's walk and Tony Fernandez' run-scoring double off Flanagan. Flanagan (6-7), who beat Toronto for the 17th time in his career, gave up only a double by Shepherd in the third inning before Fernandez' double. The walk to Shepherd was the only one Flanagan issued. Flanagan outpitched Jimmy Key (1 0-8), who allowed only seven hits and two walks in 713 innings.

In the sixth, Rick Dempsey walked and was sacrificed to second. Juan Bonilla then hit a grounder directly at lorg, and the ball went through his legs. Dempsey, running on contact, scored easily. The Orioles, who moved to within six games of the first-place Red sox in the American League East, scored again in the seventh on two-out singles by Jim Traber, Dempsey and Jackie Gutierrez. In the eighth, Lee Lacy doubled and scored Baltimore's third run on a single by Murray.

NATIONAL LEAGUE By CLAIRE SMITH Courant Staff Writer NEW YORK No offense, Vince Coleman, but Rickey Henderson is not watching you sneak up on his stolen-base record. Or so the Yankees center fielder says. "I really haven't paid any attention lately," Henderson said Monday, a broad grin crossing his face. "How many does he have, 70?" No, Henderson was told. Four stolen bases Sunday propelled Coleman to 82, 48 shy of Henderson's mark of 130, set in 1982 with the Oakland A's.

Coleman has 53 games left in his quest of Henderson. "He can do it," said Henderson, who had an American League-high 67 steals entering Monday's game against the Indians. "If you can steal three, four bases a game, you can do it. And you can if people don't care because your team's not going anywhere." The Cardinals have been accused of unleashing Coleman for the purpose of breaking the record, letting their speedster run no matter what the score. Henderson doesn't object.

"I was in the same situation he was in in 1982," Henderson said. "We weren't going anywhere. But I was making things happen. If you steal a lot of bases and you're not scoring runs, then you're not doing nothing." If and when Coleman exceeds 130, Henderson said that's OK with him. hoping it doesn't happen, but, hey, Lou Brock thought that way, too," Henderson said.

"He knew I was coming. I knew Vince Coleman was coming, too." Lou Piniella used a lineup of Henderson (CF), Willie Randolph (2B), Don Mattingly (IB), Dave Winfield (RF), Dan Pasqua (LF), Mike Easier (DH), Mike Pagliarulo (3B), Joel Skinner (C) and Wayne Tolleson (SS) for the third straight day. It marked the first time since April 25-27 that Piniella has used same order three consecutive days. The last time the manager used nine players in the same positions, if not in the same batting order, for at least three consecutive games was June 23-27, when Piniella used Henderson, Mattingly, Randolph, Pagliarulo, Dale Berra (SS), Claudell Washington (LF), Henderson, Win-field and Easier. Monday marked the sixth straight game the outfield of Pasqua, Win-field and Henderson started, a first for the season.

Remember Paul Zuvella, the shortstop who earned a ticket to Columbus by hitting Well the shortstop is doing to Triple-A pitchers what he could not do to major-leaguers. Zuvella was hitting .357 with one homer heading into Monday's action. Zuvella extended his hitting streak to six games with a two-run homer Sunday. In that streak the former Braves prospect, who came to New York in the Ken Griffey trade, has hit .500 (10-for-20) with six runs scored and four RBI. To Get Carlton, Foster, Dawson Combined Wire Services CHICAGO The Chicago White Sox reportedly are close to acquiring pitcher Steve Carlton and sluggers George Foster and Andre Dawson.

Carlton, a four-time Cy Young Award winner, will end a 6-day "retirement" tonight and start for the White Sox in Detroit, according to reports Monday in The Chicago Trib-i une and the Chicago Sun-Times. Foster, 37, who had earned $2 million a year with the Mets, was released Wednesday, the same day Carlton, 41, announced his retire- ment from the San Francisco Giants. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported in Monday's editions that Carlton did 'not put his name on the voluntary-. retired list or submit a letter of retirement to the National League. Both players will clear waivers at 2 p.m.

today and become free agents. fe The White Sox would sign Foster and Carlton for $18,000 each for the rest of the season, the major league minimum. 'No comment," said White Sox chief Ken "Hawk" Har- relson when asked about the moves. "Ask Hawk," said Manager Jim Fregosi. The Chicago newspapers reported Monday that Carlton was expected to be the White Sox starting pitcher I against the Tigers.

Foster, who has 347 career homers, was expected to be a designated hitter, they reported. The Ottawa Citizen reported Monday a deal was imminent that would send Dawson, the Expos' all-time leader in home runs and RBI to the White Sox. 1' "We're definitely interested and we hope to have it done as soon as possible," an unidentified White Sox official told the newspaper. "We're talking," Expos General Manager Murray Cook said. "We "have been for quite some time.

I 1 can't say who is involved." Dawson, who will make $1.05 million this year in the final year of a five-year contract, is eligible to be-; come a free agent after the season. Dawson is hitting .264 for the season with 15 homers and 48 RBI. Carlton was 5-11 with a 5.89 ERA this year with the Giants and Phillies. 1 a. Jones Holds Britsox to Two Singles By MICHAEL ARACE Courant Staff Writer r- NEW BRITAIN Righthander Jeff Jones limited the New Britain Red Sox to two hits, both singles, as the Glens Falls Tigers rolled to a 7-0 victory Monday night at Beehive 5 The victory kept Glens Falls (57-55) in sole possession of fourth place in the Eastern League.

New Britain (52-63) is last in the eight-team league. Glens Falls took a 4-0 lead in the 'lop of the second inning. A throwing error by Britsox third basemen Sam Nattile allowed Paul Hollins to reach first base. Scott Lusader drew a walk and Rey Palacios followed with a single to score Hollins. After another walk filled the bases, Ruben Guzman made it 3-0 with a single to left.

One out later, Jim Walewander singled to load the bases. Miquel Sosa accounted for the fourth run with a sacrifice fly. Jones (2-4) retired the first' seven he faced. Mike Goff got the Britsox hit in the third After that, Jones retired the next 15 shatters. Britsox starter and finisher Scott tSkripko (5-3) pitched well, except for two innings.

After the second, he didn't allow a hit until the top of the -eighth, retiring 18 of 19 in one span." Mets Win, Go Up 19 Continued From Page Dl hen Jeltz booted his grounder to shortstop, Rafael Santana beat out an infield hit and Gooden was safe when reliever Tom Hume misplayed a sacrifice bunt. Mookie Wilson walked, forcing 'home a run, and after Tim Teufel Hernandez struck out, Carter drew another walk for a 6-2 lead. Darryl Strawberry hit a two-run single in the eighth, and Philadelphia's Rick Schu hit a two-run homer, his sixth of the year, in the despite a 5-for-5 performance by Pete Rose. Rose, with a double and four singles, drove in three runs. It was the 1 0th five-hit game of his career and his first since -April 28, 1982.

Rose, the Reds' 45-year-old player-manager, raised his average to .222. Melvin also hit a solo homer and Candy Maldonado added a two-run shot for the Giants. i Rose helped the Reds to a 4-2 lead against Mike LaCoss before the Giants began their comeback. Tom Browning (9-9) gave up Maldonado's eighth homer in the fourth inning and Melvin's second leading off the fifth. The lefthander has allowed 21 homers in 27 starts.

Browning failed to retire a batter in the Giants' three-run sixth. He gave up singles to Will Clark and Maldonado before Brenly homered off Carl Willis for the Giants' first lead of the game. Braves 11, Padres 6 Dale Murphy hit two home runs and doubled, driving in four runs as Atlanta beat San Diego in Atlanta. Murphy's three-run homer off reliever Gene Walter capped a six-run second inning, and he connected for a leadoff home run in the fifth off Eric Show, his 20th of the season. Rick Mahler (11-11) won for the first time since June 30, a span of nine starts.

Mahler allowed nine hits, including Graig Nettles' three-run homer, his 1 6th, in the eighth, and Marvell Wynne's seventh homer in the ninth. The Braves scored twice in the first inning off Ed Whitson (7-6). Ken Oberkfell walked, went to third on a double by Murphy and scored on a wild pitch by Whitson. Murphy, who went to third on the wild pitch, then scored on sacrifice fly by Ken Griffey. AROUND THE LEAGUES Hernandez, DeCinces Get Honors Mets first baseman Keith Hernandez, who hit .429 with two homers and 12 RBI, was named the NL's player of the week.

Doug DeCinces of the California Angels was named AL player of the week. In six games, DeCinces hit .421, going 8-for-19 with four homers and seven RBI. Horner's Brother Dies The 25-year-old brother of Atlanta Braves first baseman Bob Homer died in Phoenix, after a long battle with leukemia. Scott Homer died at 8:33 a.m. at St.

Joseph's Hospital, where he had been being treated for about a week The native of Glendale, first learned he had leukemia in November 1 984. Chemotherapy treatments put the disease in remission for nearly a year before it flared up again last fall, doctors said. Bob Horner, 29, left the Braves several times in the past few weeks to be with his dying brother. He was on the way to Phoenix on Monday night after learning of the death, said Braves spokesman Wayne Minshew. INJURY LIST Ryan Returns Tonight Veteran pitcher Nolan Ryan of the Houston Astros comes off the disabled list for the second time this season today and will test his ailing right elbow tonight against the Dodgers.

Ryan has been troubled all season by a sprained ligament. The Astros placed Ryan on the 15-day disabled list effective July 28 because of the recurring problems. Ryan also was sidelined 21 days in June with the same injury. Ryan was examined by Dr. Frank Jobe, the Dodgers' team physician, last week in Los Angeles.

Jobe said he would need about a year to recover from surgery but added that he did not think an operation was necessary now. He will take a 7-7 record and a 3.90 ERA into the important home stand against the Dodgers, who are trying to overtake the first-place Astros in the tight National League West. Parrish Out Rest of Month Detroit Tigers catcher Lance Parrish will be sidelined for the rest of August and possibly longer because of a "developmental abnormality" in his back. Parrish was examined Monday by Dr. Robert Watkins of Inglewood, who made the determination and prescribed an intensive rehabilitation program to be supervised by Dr.

David Collon, the Tigers' team physician. The team said Parrish would be out of the lineup for several weeks but might be available in September. Wire Reports I i Cardinals 5, Expos 4 Mike LaValliere's two-run homer in the eighth inning lifted St. Louis to a victory at Montreal. Trailing 4-3, Terry Pendleton led off the eighth with a double and Clint Hurdle walked with one out.

After Pendleton was caught stealing, LaValliere connected off Floyd Youmans (1 1 -8) for his second home run of the season. Greg Mathews (8-3) gave up nine hits over seven innings and gained the victory. Todd Worrell worked the final 1 Vt innings for his 25th save. The Expos broke a 3-3 tie in the seventh on Mitch Webster's single. Montreal had tied the score in the sixth on run-scoring singles by Tim Wallach and pinch hitter Wallace Johnson.

Pirates 10-10, Cubs 8-7 (1st, 17, Completion of Suspended Game) Jim Morrison said he wasn't upset Monday when he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the 17th inning of the suspended game, before Barry Bonds delivered a game-winning single in Pittsburgh's 1 0-8 victory at Chicago. Morrison came back with four hits in the regularly scheduled game, including a home run, to lead the Pirates and Rick Rhoden to a 10-7 victory. "I understand, I figured it was going to come," said Morrison. "Barry made the most of it. It was good for Barry to get the hit." Manager Jim Leyland didn't have to defend the move since it provided the Pirates with a victory in the game that had been suspended April 20 because of darkness after 13 innings with the score tied.

"I know pitcher Dave Gumpert can be tough against righthanders and Barry has been swinging the bat real good," said Leyiand. "I just had a certain feeling that Barry had a better chance in that situation. Jim showed what a -professional he is by bouncing back in the second game." Bonds and Mike Diaz also did some hitting in the regularly scheduled game. Bonds started a seven-run second inning with his 1 1 th homer and Diaz capped it with a three-run homer, his seventh. The two decisions gave the Pirates a 9-1 record against the Cubs this season.

Rhoden (1 2-7) improved his record to 4-0 against the Cubs this year and 17-6 lifetime, though he left after allowing 10 hits in six innings. Morrison was 4-for-5 in the later game with three RBI. He led off the ninth inning with his 1 5th homer, tying his highest season total. Morrison and Diaz each singled in a run in the first inning of the regulation game and Bonds opened the big second with his homer. A double by Rhoden, a walk and a single by Bobby Bonilla loaded the bases.

One run scored on a wild pitch by loser Jamie Moyer (3-3) and Johnny Ray and Morrison each singled in a run before Diaz hit his homer. Giants 13, Reds 4. Bob Brenly's three-run homer put San Francisco ahead and Bob Melvin's three-run triple highlighted a seven-run seventh inning as the Giants won easily at Cincinnati Easier Finds Stroke In Yankees' Victory Newcomer (63) Leads Pro-Am Golf Indians calmly got the ball back to Niekro and then the 47-year-old turned and threw to Bernazard at second. Second base umpire Drew Coble ruled Randolph out for leaving the base too soon. The Yankees argued to no avail, an argument that ended peacefully.

But when Niekro ended the inning without further incident a fan threw a container of beer in the pitcher's face as he was about to step into the dugout. The Indians added an insurance run in the seventh on a homer by Franco, hit far over the right-field -wall. Easier got his shot to perform on a fulltime basis when Manager Lou Piniella decided he could not live with a fluctuating lineup late last week. Easier has responded. The RBI was his third in two games and fifth in five, a continuing sign that he is pulling out of a run-producing drought in which drove in just two runs in 13 games.

The dry spell for Easier had been ill-timed because it furthered the Yankees' desire to go out and get a righthanded hitting DH. That was Ron Kittle. The former White Sox-slugger did nothing to secure that job. Mired in a season-long slump when he arrived, Kittle has nosedived in his brief Yankees' career, collecting just an infield single in 14 at-bats to go with one RBI and eight strikeouts. With Kittle batting .206 on the season and Easier batting .317 entering the game, Piniella has decided he can live without an occasional homer in preference of a more than occasional line drive.

Winfield's single continued the right fielder's torrid hitting, one of the few bright spots in the Yankees' offense of late. It was his 12th hit in 18 at-bats in the last six games. Winfield entered the game hitting .265, an average he padded 33 points since the second half started on July 17. 'jv Continued From Page Dl at a victory. But the pesky Indians knotted the score in the top of the ninth against Brian Fisher.

Julio Franco singled, pinch runner Otis Nixon stole second, not even drawing a throw from catcher Juan Espino. Joe Carter singled in Nixon, his 16th hit and 11th RBI in 43 at-bats against the Yankees this season. New York was trying to stop the Indians and an old teammate at the same time: Niekro, who entered the game 2-1 against the Yankees this season. They were also seeking a third impressive performance in four games from Ron Guidry since his return from the disabled list July 27. The lefthander (2-1 since that date) allowed four earned runs in 12 innings in the two victories.

Easier gave Guidry a lead in the second inning. After singles by Dave Winfield and Dan Pasqua put runners on the corners with no outs in the second, Easier hit a fly ball deep enough to bring home Winfield. A walk put another runner in scoring position. With two outs, Tolleson brought that runner in with a double, the slumping shortstop's second hit in four games. Guidry carried the two-run lead into the third, but saw it halved quickly as Brook Jacoby opened the inning with his 13th homer.

The home-run burden cost Guidry the lead two innings later. After an infield single by Jacoby and a sacrifice, leadoff hitter Tony Bernazard hit a homer, his 11th of the season, just inside the left-field foul pole. Niekro struggled to make a one-run Cleveland lead stand up. He needed the help of the umpires in the fifth to do so. Willie Randolph opened the inning with a double, the Yankees' sixth hit off the knuckleballer.

A deep fly to right by Mattingly was long enough to allow Randolph to tag and move to third. Or so the Yankees thought. The By BRUCE BERLET Courant Staff Writer Talk about an auspicious debut. Jamie Howell, the assistant pro at Newton (N.J.) Country Club, birdied the first four holes in shooting a course-record, 8-under-par 63 to take a four-stroke lead after the first round of the $55,000 Michelob Pro-Am Golf Classic at Mill River CC in Stratford. Scores, Page D6.

"I played well and made a lot of putts. It was a lot of fun," Howell said of his first tournament appearance, which bettered by one stroke the previous course record held by amateur Ben Costello. "It ended up being easy, but it wasn't easy while I was doing it." Howell, 23, made birdie putts of 8, 4, 20 and 4 feet on the first four holes and then drove the 290-yard ninth hole and 2-putted for another birdie. He also scored birdies from 12, 8 and 4 feet at Nos. 13, 14 and 16 and sank an 8-foot par putt at the final hole to set the record.

Howell is four shots ahead of Paul Ryiz of Chicopee (Mass.) CC, a six-time Connecticut Section PGA player of the year who carded five birdies and one bogey. Defending champion Ed Whitman of Knickerbocker CC in Tenaf ly, N. David Glenz of Morris County (N. GC and Tom Sutter of Engineers CC in Manhasset, N.Y., are tied for third at 68. The low 24 scorers, plus ties, after this morning's -second round advance to Uiis afternoon's final round in the quest for the $10,000 Tirst KEGGI PACES STATE PLAYERS Caroline Keggi of the Country Club of Waterbury shot a 5-over 77 and is tied for 17th place after the first round of stroke play in the U.S.

Women's Amateur Championship at Pasatiempo GC in Santa Cruz, Calif. Cara An-dreoli of Wethersf ield CC shot 83 and Loretta Coleman of the Stanwich Club in Greenwich had 85. Leslie Shannon, a Wethersfield native living in Hialeah, is tied for 1 1th at 76, which is two strokes higher than leader Pearl Sinn of Bellflower (Calif.) GC. The low 64 scorers after today's second round advance to match play. The 18-hole final is scheduled Saturday.

DOLINGER LEADS CWGA JUNIORS BY 2 Debbie Dolinger of Greenwich shot a 16-over 87 at the Black Hall Club in Old Lyme for a two-stroke lead after the first round of the Connecticut Women's Golf Association Junior Championship. Dolinger, who missed the cut in last week's U.S. Golf Association Junior Girls Championship, is two shots ahead of two-time defending champion Leslie Romeo of Old Lyme and Rindy Garner of Fairfield heading into today's final round. ASSISTANTS CHAMPIONSHIP TODAY The Connecticut Section PGA Assistants Championship will be today at Willimantic CC. The winner qualifies for the national championship Sept.

24-26 at Thorney Lea GCin Brockton, Mass. The Connecticut Senior Open will be today at the Golf Club of Avon. 'ninth. The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the second. Carter opened with an infield single and scored when Knight doubled into the right-field corner.

The Phillies tied the game in the second, when Von Hayes doubled and Glenn Wjjlson singled, U4.