Messenger-Inquirer from Owensboro, Kentucky • 13

-Inquirer qwensboro, Thursday, august 26, 1 982 Baseball 2 Scoreboard 3 Contract talks break down eo pa i i pe to put on the games at that point." White said. Wednesday's four-hour was the first time the two sides have sat down together since July 23. "The session was best described as futile." Donlan said. "There has been no progress. They haven't changed their position on anything." Garvey said.

He described Wednesday morning's session as a "waste of time." The players' are demanding 55 per NFL Managment Council, said one of the options to be reconsidered by the league is the possible intervention of a federal mediator. "We have to be candid, we are not getting any place on our own." he said. Donlan said a number of owners are concerned about trying to start the season without a signed agreement with the players union. "Our concern is the scenario where the players would play an x-number of games than strike. Some owners feel they would be doing what the baseball owners did last year in financing a strike.

Detroit Lions' player representative Stan White, who left the Lions' training camp to participate in the talks, warned that future discussions could come after a walkout. "I told them we really didn't have a lot of time to talk at this time because of the things we have to do with our teams. We probably will have a lot more time to bargain next time we meet because there won't be the teams Assoc iattd Press WASHINGTON Contract talks between the National Football League and the players' union broke down Wednesday with both sides admitting the start of the regular season just 19 days away is now in jeopardy "We will have to reevaluate our options for beginning the season." said Jack Dorilan, the owners' chief negotiator. Ed Garvey, executive director of the NFL Players Association, said a decision on a possible strike could come as early as this Sunday. "We are calling for an emergency meeting of the executive committee this weekend to discuss what action we will take," Garvey said.

Garvey said the meeting probably will be scheduled for Chicago to allow a maximum number of player representatives to attend. "It is apparent the bargaining prcess is not working at this point," Garvey concluded. Donlan, executive director of the cent of all gross revenues generated by the league. The money would fund player salaries and fringe benefits according to a formula that would recognize seniority and performance. Suggested salary scales range from $75,000 for rookies to $600,000 for players with 16 years experience.

On Wednesday. Garvey renewed the union's demand for a percentage of the gross or some form of revenue sharing to give the players at least a portion of the league's lucrative television and radio contracts. 1 1,, 'Cactus' Jock left his imprint on local, national sports scene AP Back to work released by the Houston Oilers before hits season began, was signed by the Saints as a backup for Archie Manning. Quarterback Kenny Stabler takes a break from his first day of working out with the New Orleans Saints at their Vero Beach, training camp. The 36-year-old Stabler, who was East-West Shrine Game.

"He was an innovator." Delker said. "I remember Frank Broyles former Arkansas head coach and now a network college football commentator! talking on television about how Jack Curtice developed the shovel pass at Utah and I thought, he was working on it with us in high school. "Maybe he wasn't ahead of his time, but he was in step with the game. He made an impression on all the boys. Maybe all of them didn't get along with him.

but over the years they probably realized what he was trying to do. One thing, you learned football from him." Curtice also used the forward pass and the spread formation, both new to the era. Curtice's football record at Owensboro was 32-23-2. "The record wasn't that good, but we always had smaller teams," Delker said. "He got us believing that we could beat bigger boys.

He really knew how to use psychology." Giants teammates stunned upon learning of Kotar's tumor Curtice returned to Owensboro for a reunion five ByRICHSUWNSKI Messenger-Inquirer "Cactus" Jack Curtice's rules for a good life were as follows: Say "Yes sir" and "No sir," always wear clean underclothes and use a clean hanky. With that, he'd say. a young man would go far. If a young man wouldn't go far, at least he might not stray far from the straight and narrow, which was equally important to the former Owensboro High School coach, who went on to coach football at five universities and chair the NCAA Football Rules Committee. Curtice, 75, died of a heart attack last Thursday in Santa Barbara.

and was buried Tuesday. He was remembered Wednesday by one of his former players, Edward Delker. "He was a disciplinarian and it was needed, that was back in the Depression." said Delker, 64, a retired businessman. "He expected you to do your best. His practices were tougher than the games.

He taught you to play hard, but no tricks of any kind. "He helped out a lot of young men throughout his career. He went out of his way to help youngsters. He was concerned that you'd get your education and that you went out in life on the right path. He taught you the difference between right and wrong.

He was an excellent coach and a great person. Curtice graduated from Transylvania College and took a coaching job at Elizabethtown before coming to Owensboro to teach history and coach basketball and football. Curtice left Owensboro to take the head coaching job at West Texas State, then was an instructor in the Navy during World War II. After the war, he coached at Texas Western, Utah, where he coached AU-American Lee Grosscup. Stanford and the University of California at Santa Barbara.

He retired from coaching in 1969, but stayed on as Santa Barbara athletic director while becoming chairman of the NCAA Football Rules Committee. One of Curtice's last Santa Barbara teams went 8-1 and played in the Camellia Bowl in 1965. losing to Los Angeles 1810. Curtice twice coached the West Stars in the annual years ago at Delker's request and the affair brought out many of Curtice's former players. The old coach easily recalled the players' names and their "accomplishments." "He could remember the things you did wrong and how the other team scored a touchdown from it." Delker said.

"But then he'd turn around and say. How's my top One former player. Manuel Newcom. named his first son Jack Curtice Newcom. Curtice's homespun humor might have been a bit much for the sophisticates at Stanford.

He reportedly told some people there that he was a Kentucky country-boy and his family was too poor to paint and too proud to whitewash. In fact, he was from Texas and. consequently, was labeled "Cactus" Jack. Delker and Curtice kept in contact with one another by phone or letter. Delker received a letter from Curtice's wife, Margaret, a few weeks ago.

In it. she said her husband heart was "wearing out" and that the end might be near. praying for him," was all King would say. Kotar, the Giants' fourth all-time leading rusher, learned he had the tumor last week when he sought medical treatment for headaches he suffered after being kicked in the head while playing volleyball in his swimming pool. "Coach Perkins said if he hadn't had the surgery when he did.

he would have died in a few weeks. But they were able to relieve some of the pressure on it," one of the defensive players revealed. Surgeons were waiting for Kotar to awaken fully from anesthesia to determine whether the retired New York Giants running back suffered permanent damage from the operation. When doctors opened Kotar's skull, they found a large tumor lodged in the center of the brain and decided that to remove the mass would severely endanger the ex-player's life, Sloan said. "It is in an area that acts as a central command center for all of the im be in good spirits.

"When I went to see him, I was nervous about what to say. I expected him to be depressed," Van Pelt recalled. "Doug was very cheerful, telling us all about what will happen and how he would be going home in two weeks. I left the hospital feeling great. He had me believing that everything was going to be all right.

"Then, we got word yesterday on how things turned out. I just couldn't believe it." Kelley said Kotar told them he was settling comfortably into a new career as a beer distributor in his native Can-onsburg, where he lives with his wife. Donna, and two children. Kotar retired from the Giants when camp opened July 23 because the separated shoulder he suffered last season had not healed completely. "He was super.

He was in just unbelievable spirits. He was the same old Doug," Kelley said of his visit to the hospital. The 10th year linebacker said he left Kotar's room feeling "it was hard to beleive he'd even retired." "He expected to be out of the hospital in two or three weeks and talked about making the Atlanta game," Kelley said', referring to the Giants Sept. 12 season opener against the Falcons. "That's why it's so shocking because he was in such great spirits." Tackle Gordon King, who also developed a close friendship with Kotar during four seasons with the Giants, said he was too distraught to discuss Kotar's illness.

"Our hearts go out for him. We are. Associated Press- -f NEWARK, N.J. Doug Kotar's former New York Giants teammates told that the retired running back is dying of an inoperable brain tumor, were somber and uneasy as they broke training camp Wednesday. "I think about it at night," said linebacker Brian Kelley.

one of Kotar's closest friends. "You never know, miracles can happen." Kotar spent Wednesday in the intensive care unit of a hospital here run by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey following doctors' decision Tuesday not to remove the tumor. The doctors; under orders from Kotar's family, were cautious in their, public prognosis. But a member of the Giants offensive line, who did not want to be identified, confirmed that Coach Ray Perkins told the team he was told preliminary tests indicate the 31-year-old former Kentucky standout has six months to two years to live. Dr.

Kim Sloan, the Giants' orthopedic specialist who assisted neurosurgeon Roger Countee during Kotar's surgery, said he would not say whether the tumor was malignant or benign until he received final laboratory tests on tissue samples. "It looks more like a poor type of tumor. I'm evading the words malignant or benign because I don't know for sure yet." Sloan said after Tuesday's eight-hour operation. Kelley and linebacker Brad Van i Pelt visited Kotar in the hospital on Sunday, and they said he appeared to 30,678 see Triplets beat Redbirds pulses of the brain." Sloan said. Sloan said Kotar was "was very scared" before surgery.

Kotar's wife, his brother. Anton, and other family members were keeping a vigil at the hospital. Sloan said the only treatment options left now were radiation therapy, chemotherapy or antibiotics, depending on the results of the analysis of tissue samples, which will be available in a few days. Associated Press LOUISVILLE Steve Luebber scattered six hits and Ed Miller's run-scoring single ignited a six-run ninth-inning explosion that gave Evansville an 8-2 win over Louisville in American, Association baseball Wednesday night. A club-record crowd of 30.678 watched Louisville lose its third straight game and fifth in its last six starts.

The crowd total broke the three-week-old mark of 25.078 and double off Rcdbird starter Eric Ras-mussen, 1-2. Mike Laga singled and Les Filkins doubled to open the ninth and chase Rasmussen. Miller greeted reliever Ricky Horton with a single to score Laga with the go-ahead run. Marty Castillo and Jeff Bertoni added run-scoring singles, another run scored on a Horton balk and Vern Fol-lowell ended matters with a two-run double. raised the club's minor league-record season attendance figure to 773.503.

Luebber, 4-4, walked three and struck out seven in frustrating Louisville's bid to make up ground on Eastern Division leader Iowa. The Red-birds. with only four games remaining, started the contest lh games back of Iowa. Louisville led 2-1 when Evansville tied the game in the eighth on Mark DeJohn's triple and Stan Younger's Waif rip in perfect position for points championship fe) DANNY MCKENZIE Sports Editor forgiven if he were tempted to sit back and prop up alligator cowboy boot enclosed feet. But he isn't.

It was obvious he was ready to get to Bristol. for this week's Busch 500 and. for that matter, to get on with the following races. "WE'RE REALLY coming into the tracks where we do the best." he said with a grin. "We've got Bristol.

I've won three in a row there. We've got Darlington iS.C. i. that's been a good race track for me. Richmond iVa.i.

it's been pretty good. Dover. Delaware, well, so-so. "But then we get to Martinsville iVa.f; North Wilkesboro tN.C.i. Charlotte iN.C.i.

Rockingham iN.C. Atlanta and Riverside i Calif. I. All those tracks have been good to me. "I wouldn't predict a championship." Waltrip summized.

"but this year is shaping up just like last year. We had to beat Allison and he had apoints lead on us but we caught him and passed him. "It looks like it could be the same situation this year if we can just do it again. That's the question." 7 To which, Waltrip undoubtedly has the DARRELL WALTRIP is not quite ready to predict a second consecutive Winston Cup points championship, but he will admit he likes his chances. Even after engine trouble knocked him out of the running in last week's Champion Spark Plug 400 won by Bobby Allison at Brooklyn, Waltrip figured things are still going his way.

"I'd say we sort of bit the bullet up there Sunday." he said, explaining that the engine trouble was minor and he was able to keep Junior Johnson's Mountain Dew Buick Regal in the race for a seventh-place finish. "We were really lucky." continued Wal-tripwho was in town Tuesday to speak to the Steak and Burger Banquet sponsored by the Cliff Hagan Boys Club. "We were able to keep going and finish. We didn't lose anything as far as points were concerned. "WE WERE 120 points behind I Terry I La-bonte and 75 or 80 behind Allison, now we're about 120 behind Allison and 70 behind Labonte.

They changed but we didn't." The latest NASCAR release shows Allison on top of the Winston Cup standings with 2.962 points, Labonte second with 2.912 and Waltrip third with 2,842. The same release shows that it's only a two-man show as far as wins go "There doesn't need to be a major overhauling of the points system by any means." he said. "They just need to put a little bit more incentive on first place so that a guy that goes out early tin a racei. works real hard and wins one week, but then has to drop out early the next week trying to win another one isn't penalized by the system. Right now you are.

It compliments guys that go out and just ride around all day and finish third or fourth rather than compliment the guys that got out and put on the show and try to win races." AND YOU can bet your Mountain Dew cap that Walrtip will not just be out riding around, collecting points along the way. "My philosophy has always been of course. I haven't won the championship but once so that might tell you something about my philosophy but it's been that if you win races, you'll win the championship. It's proven so over the years. "Thev guy that wins the most races usually wins the championship." he explains with simple logic.

"Ours is a situation where we feel like if we win, we won't lose." With 46 career wins and million in the "money won" category, Waltrip could be take advantage of any bad luck they might have, then we're OK." Waltrip, however, does not feel that it's any easier to be leading in the points standings and called on recent Grand National history to emphasize his point "In '79. 1 had a big lead and lost it to i Richard i Petty at the last race. In '80. Dale) Earnhaerdt had a big lead and Cale i Yarbo-rough i almost beat him out of it in the last race. In '81.

Allison had a big lead and we caught him and passed him with two races to go and won the thing. "So it seems to be," he continued, "that if you take past experience, that the guys who get in front, well, it changes their philosophy a little bit. They get conservative and start sitting on that lead like you see some bal-lteams do. All of a sudden somebody starts to catch up and they can't get back on their game plan and they get beat." THE MANNER in which Winston Cup points are awarded has been a topic of much discussion on the NASCAR circuit lately. Hints have come down from those who make such decisions that there mav be some changes forthcoming.

Waltrip. forthe record. favors only minor alterations in the system. Waltrip has seven and Allison has six. Labonte has yet to get the checkered flag in 1982.

One of the reasons Waltrip is not particularly upset at the deficit is that he knows 120 points can be made up in one race. "As long as we're only one race behind and there's 10 races to go. you don't feel that bad about it." he said. "But the big problem we Tace is that they I Allison and Labonte i have the luxury of falling out of a race right now 1 and we don't. "IF WE have a car problem and fall out.

or, get in a wreck, or whatever, then we go far-' ther behind and that deficit just grows. As long as we can stay where we are so we can.