Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • 65

MOODY'S VORLD. urleson taller in pro scouts' eyes Robert Markus i CWoj Trflwftf Pita Servk GREENSBORO, N. March 24 On the basketball court he Is all knobby knees and flying elbows. If he stands sideways to you he seems to vanish. Imagine Ichabod Crane or a 7-foot 4-inch Ray Bolger and you have the picture of North Carolina State's Tommy Burleson.

He is so skinny that the sweatband most players wear on their wrists slides halfway up his forearm. There are some pro scouts who question his toughness. A few weeks ago in Phoenix Jerry Colangelo, the Phoenix Suns' general manager, said he frankly wasn't interested in Burleson. That was a few weeks ago. Tomorrow night in the Greensboro Coliseum among a crowd of nearly 16,000 basketball fanatics, will be a raft of pro scouts.

One of them is Jerry Krause, Colangelo's surrogate, who will prepare a report that is bound to change his boss' mind. "SURE JERRY THOUGHT that way a few weeks ago," said Krause after watching Burleson battle U. C. L. mighty Bill Walton to a near standstill In yesterday's semifinals.

"We all did. But he's changed a lot of minds in the last few weeks. You've got to consider him now. I went up to see him play against Providence, convinced that Marvin Barnes was going to physically destroy him. But he Barnes couldn't do it." Neither could Maryland's Len Elmore or U.

C. L. Walton. The idea that Burleson Is a 7-foot 4-inch pussycat Is nothing new. Picked to play on the United States Olympic team in there's my granola?" MOON MULLINS Li- 1 1 17 uitJA-r AOS VSil I7ir iiHe AtbUi umlI I am irss-fT a.o SUB FDR ONE.

'WV' MILLION LtCjiJ iW nnc, ksw-w iwhi iu uo in cyfc ot A Canadians ready to test U. S. gals in A. A. U.

meet AND C.TK Kfc 1972, he spent almost the entire tournament in Munich sitting on the bench. Head Coach Hank Iba felt that Burleson wasn't physical enough to play under international rules, which produce a game that more resembles a Cicero saloon brawl than basketball. But Coach Iba was wrong about a lot of things and one of them could have been Tommy Burleson. In a game against Brazil the Americans were getting what is known as "the treatment." The experienced Brazilians had brought over from Rio more tricks than coffee beans. An elbow to the throat here, a karate chop to the liver there and now and again a surreptitious knee to the groin, all duly sanctioned, apparently by the International Olympics Committee.

With the Americans in grave danger of losing the game, their larynxes, and their procreative powers, Iba at last sent Burleson into the game. Maybe he figured that nobody's elbow could reach Tommy's throat end that any miscreant knee would rattle harmlessly off his kneecap. Or maybe he just figured Burleson was expendable. Tom could not have been on the floor more than 15 seconds when he lashed out with an elbow and caught the Brazilian center flush in the face. The fellow went down as if tapped on the head with a mallet and he appeared in no hurry to get up.

There was no question but that the elbow was thrown deliberately and Burleson was immediately ejected from the game. But there was no more rough stuff from the Brazilians and the United States went on to win. Perhaps because it happened so quickly it did not leave the proper impression, but the notion has persisted that Burleson is not very physical. "HE'S VERY YOUNG and doesn't have a lot of sophisticationin a basketball sense," says North Carolina State Coach Norm Sloan. "He's only 20 years old.

He comes from a small town in North Carolina and didn't play in a metropolitan area when he was in high school. There was no playground play against the great college and pro players. He had to learn to play against big men when he got to college." Burleson agrees. Propping his angular frame against a locker in the Wolfpack's dressing room after the U. C.

L. A. game, Burleson noted: "I'm now getting the experience and exposure to good players that I've always needed. I think I'm going to progress. You can see by looking at me I have a slender body and when I get stronger.

Altho the North Carolina State brochure lists him at 7-4 and 235 pounds, Burleson says, "I'm really about 225 to 230 and I'd like to fill out to 245 to 250." AFTER STANDING NEXT TO him and staring directly into the small of his back I would not doubt that he is a true 7-4, but Krause insists "He's only 7-2" and Coach Sloan says, "He's a little over 7-3. The idea that he's 74 probably got started because I said so. That was when I didn't think we would get him." In any event Burleson himself feels that "I'm playing the best ball of my life right now." "If Tommy feels that way, that's 'what counts," said Sloan today. "I'm happy to hear that. His best basketball is still ahead of him.

Somebody's going to get a great pro there." After watching him emerge from the infirmary, where the flu bug had confined him for a day last week, to duel head-to-head with Walton, the pro scouts are beginning to agree. And while Burelson modestly puts the team goals first, there may be more than a national championship at stake for him tomorrow night. Swimming GIL THORP i n. As the 2 half gets underway, Jemfc 101 IfeMiKbnd vs. Dunbar High in the finals of the State Yes- A temperature begins to take Its toll.

Tournament. 7 I look pale Ito okay! 7 sy 7 Riglrt, Jerry I and bushed? That's four straight Xm going Mirford leads 44-40 Pulver and Dunbar's Ed Are you liases, rebounds for to rest him? at the half thanks to the Knox have sealed it off feeling all mM' I think Jemjls wrmirt great outside boards Denver greets Glovers ByLeoZainea LES CANADIANS, sparked by the lure of Olympic gold In their own backyard, are making an outright commit-ment to produce more "world-class swimmers. Their age-group program, relatively new, is growing impressively, not so much in size but In the quality of performances. More small international meets are being arranged in Canada and abroad to upgrade competition. Even a new swimming magazine, listing the top 20 times nationally, is distributed free to every registered swimmer in Canada.

"WHEN YOU have the Olympics in your country, like we will in 1976 at Montreal, you have to make a decent showing," says Deryk Snelling, coach of the highly-successful Canadian Dolphins in Vancouver. "I'm sure that's been a big factor in the government's new attitude." That attitude, widely known as "Game Plan '76," stresses the importation of qualified coaches; increased government grants or college athletes; and more swimming and diving facilities. Don Talbot, Australia's Olympic coach in 1972, migrated to Thunder Bay, Ontario, some time ago to develop an age-group club. Bill Spenser, an ex-assistant at the fabled Santa Clara, Swim Club, only recently ar- rived in Winnipeg. "THIS TIME," sayg Snelling, "we're formulating a plan instead of just letting the monster grow." Sq far, the surest symbol of an emergent Canada is the women.

Snelling will bring the best of them to Dallas next month to challenge the Americans at the AAU Indoor Nationals. "Depth-wise, we couldn't beat Santa Clara," observes Snelling. "We'll only have 10 women there, but they will fnake their presence felt." Most notable of them will be Leslie Cliff, 19, American record-holder In the 200-yard individual medley; Wendy Cook, 17, world record-holder in the 100-meter back stroke; and Donna Marie Gurr, 19, a world-class back stroker. CANADA'S 400 medley and free style relays beat East Germany's powerful national team in a meet at Vancouver earlier this month, altho Snelling confides it was not the same East German foursome that set world records last summer. Already, the government has 23 pools on the drawing board for the Vancouver area with promises of more.

But Snelling, whose swimmers train in an ancient, five-lane facility, is not. ecstatic. "Many coaches still feel we don't have what we need to do the job. But it's a start." MAKING WAVES-Bob Thomas of Eastern Illinois won the 200-yard back stroke in an NCAA college division meet record 1:56.58, as well as taking the 400 individual medley and 100 back stroke Friday night in Long Beach, Cal. EIU took third to champion Chico State and runnerup UC-Davis.

Circle's Gary Dworski took second in three-meter diving. this gold rush that began in Chicago way back when. THE TOURNAMENT which opens tomorrow night no longer has a Chicago accent, but that's something a few well-placed rights and lefts might rectify. Translating those discreetly directed blows from potentiality to reality is the mission of eight young men. Their names are Cornell Verse, Preston Fortney, Albert Clay, Jerry Brown, Kevin Stanley, Abdul Bey, Frank Smith, and Anthony Reed.

UNDER THE sponsorship of Chicago Tribune Charities, Inc. and the direction of Coaches Chuck Bodak and Harry Wilson, they are representing Chicago in this four-day extravaganza. It is a green team. Only Bey, a featherweight considered by many to be Chicago's finest amateur fighter, possesses extensive Fortney, Brown, Stanley, and Smith are still teenagers. All have improved tremendously in the past few months.

The potential is there. The question that will be answered in the next four days is whether or not the time is ripe. BOXER SHORTS Thirty-three cities are represented. The Rocky Mountain conglomeratean all-area aggregationis the defending team champion. Today's events On television nKHtbS RACING At Hawthorn rm fnnrta.

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Rubin Vaiauez. welter. On radio In the spring a joung man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts 0 love. Alfred Lord Tennyson By Neil Milbert Chicago Tribune Press Senile DENVER, March 24 Albeit 16 degrees and snowy, it's spring time in the Rockies. But you'd better believe the birds and bees are currently playing second fiddle to boxers in this Rocky Mountain metropolis.

The 47th annual National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions Is being held here this week and there are so many amateur boxing champions in town that there might not be enough Wheaties to go around come breakfast time tomorrow. They've come from as far west as Hawaii and as far east as Lowell, for weights. I m. WMAQ 5 Colics Bitkttball: N. C.

A. A. toumiiMnt clumplortshit lime, Mimuittt vi. North Carolina Stat. Nothing scheduled.

The Chicago team 8 1 Anthony Rood 4 jj. imiwfl Frank Smith bantamweight flrwiight Chicago's team reflects spirit of Golden Gloves Kentucky Whisky dont be Boxing Kevin Stanley lightweight Mart starl way thru Kennedy-King College. boxer. PRESTON FORTNEY, lightheavyweight Oak Lawn Bright future in boxing seems in store for 19-year-old Elmhurst College student. Earned Novice heavyr weight title in 1972, then shed some pounds and successfully fought for Open lightheavy laurels this year Formerly starred in football and wrestling.

CORNELL VERSE, heavy-weight-1537 E. 67th Place-Lost in last year's finals to Fred Houpe but came back to take Chicago Park District and C. Y. O. heavyweight titles.

weighs 190. team when Tom Giacobbe, conqueror iii '74 finals, was unable to compete due to injured knee. boxer and hard hitter. Jerry Brown welterweight Chuck Bodak coach Harry Wilton coach I hare been watching Gold-en Gloves competition or more than 20 years and have never seen a team which epitomizes the spirit of Golden Gloves more than the team which will represent Chicago in the 1974 National finals. Cooper Rollow, sports editor of The Tribune and president of Chicago Tribune Charities, Inc.

Neil Milbert Chicago Trlbunt press Service DENVER, March 24-That Chicago Tribune Charities, "Inc. team which tomorrow night will begin its quest for glory in the National Tournament of made up of the following individuals: ANTHONY REED, flyweight 7255 S. Yates-at age 25 seems to be hitting his peak after seven years in amateur ranks. Catholic Youth Organization Tournament champion. FRANK SMITH, bantamweight 3747 S.

Princeton Chicago boxing's newest superstar last year 18-year-old Phillips High student captured Chicago amateur, boxing's Triple Crown by virtue of championship performances in the Golden Gloves, Park District, and C. Y. O. Tournaments. ABDUL BEY, feather-weight 1653 E.

85th Place-Victory in this year's tournament marked third time that this 24-year-old man was crowned Chicago featherweight champion. akn CMrnon Pork nistrlrt rv T1V JO" 1 I 1 liMm mi 1 i Cornell Vere heavyweight Preston Fortney Mghtheavrweight TRIM'S ARENA 1 -v 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 11 1 Br-1 -W. TO ly a boxer but packs a potent knockout punch. KEVIN STANLEY, lightweightHighland, Ind. onetime high school wrestler made Olympic-like leap into Open Division winner's circle this month after winning C.

Y. O. Novice title in De-cember. over Floyd Pearson in South Side finals was perhaps the finest fight of seven-night Chicago Tournament. JERRY BROWN, welterweight 1159 N.

Larrabee speaks softly but actions in ring give eloquent testimony to his boxing skills. just 19, was twice runnerup in C. Y. O. tourney before taking Gloves title.

started in boxing in Job Corps ala Heavyweight Champ George Foreman. ALBERT (LAY, middleweight 5620 S. Calumet-Prefaced his Gloves triumph by taking C. Y. O.

middleweight titlo in December of Birmingham, Ala. -a 1 1 Iw wwiWTrHmii 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 in Him 1 "9, "Excuse me, tir can you direct me to the cljool for umpires?" THE TRUE OLD-STViE KENTUCKY BOURBON thamp last year..