The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 93

BOSTON SUNDAY GtiOiSK StrULMBEK 23, 1979 JJ3 PRO HOCKEY Bv FRANCIS ROSA ourque looks Sc iTu ike next Park fiFTY W- "fc A Tavish of Lowell. The Bruins probably will sign all three to professional contracts and send them to Binghamton for development. Harold Ballard, Toronto president who tried and failed to keep Darryl Sittler and goalie Mike Palmateer out of the NHL's Showdown series, has a bigger problem. Palmateer is coming into his option year and reportedly has turned down an offer of $160,000 per season. He is merely the best young goalie in the league, and if you care to estimate his worth to the Leafs on the ice, try 25 points John McCauley, the best referee in the NHL until an eye injury took him out of action last February, still has double vision but may wind up in a rather unusual job, coaching referees.

"John was at our preseason camp," said Scotty Morrison, referee "in chief, "and if he is unable to referee this year, we're planning to use him as a coach. We'll send him to spend a week or so with the more promising referees we have in the minors. It will be part of our on-going program to develop referees. McCauley might spend a week with a referee in the Central League and then move on to spend another week with a referee in the American League." McCauley is not optimistic about returning to the NHL this season. "I'm still having double vision," he said.

"Coaching referees sounds really good to me. The NHL has been great to me." McCauley, by the way, was the chief architect of the agreement between the officials association and the league which made hockey officials the highest paid in any professional sport. "Referees can reach a base salary of $60,000 a year, plus playoff money," McCauley said. The playoff money could put them anywhere from $70,000 to $80,000 Coach Don Cherry of Colorado was the commentator for the taping of the Showdown series. Channel 38 is not planning to use it between periods, even though Robbie Ftorek of Need-ham and the Quebec Nordiques was the overall winner.

Reed Larson of Detroit was the winning defenseman, Ftorek the top center and Wayne Gretsky of Edmonton the top wing And for all you Blue fans out there, Cherry's pet bull terrier has not taken to Englewood, too well. "I opened the door for her the other day," said Cherry, "and she turned and looked at me and said, 'Are you kidding this isn't All week, Brad Park had been on one rink, rookie Ray Bourque on another. One of hockey's best defensemen had not had a chance to watch a defenseraan who could become one of hockey's best. Wednesday night at the Bruins' squad game, Park watched Bourque, the Bfuins' No.l draft pick (eighth player chosen). Park was more than impressed.

"I can't remember when I've seen a more poised 18-year-old defenseman," said Park. "He has all the tools. He can skate, pass the puck. Maybe the thing I like best about him is his confidence, his poise. He does everything with confidence; you can see it in the way he handles the puck, the way he passes it, and he has a nice low shot from the point." Park's voice joined the mounting chorus of other veterans singing the promise of Bourque, among them Peter McNab and Mike Milbury.

General manager Harry Sinden's initial reaction to Bourque was "goosebumps," and he smiled. Coach Fred Creighton had no reaction to either Bourque or the other first-round selection, defenseman Brad McCrimmon. "They're both first-round picks, and you expect first-round picks to be players." It was too soon for Creighton to form a judgment. "I remember we had a kid at Atlanta one year, and we played a preseason game on a big rink and he was sensational. He played a great game.

It turned out to be the one and only good game he played, and he dropped out of hockey," Creighton said. So he'll wait before he makes any judgments, although he had a better and longer look under game circumstances during the weekend. McCrimmon's skating style is much like Park's, the stride is the same. "It's pretty funny to sit on the bench and watch yourself skating out there," said Park. But the road to the Bruins isn't that easy for rookies this season.

With a uniformed squad limited to 17 skaters and two goalies per game, Creighton, Sinden, et al, have to decide if they'll carry 12 forwards and five defensemen or 11 forwards and six defensemen and if they opt for the rookies, they'll have to cut either one or two defensemen. Meanwhile, some of the surprises of the early practice sessions in Fitchburg have been goalies Ed Arrington of Northeastern and Danvers, Jim Stewart of Holy Cross and Hudson, and center Craig Mac- VOUHS AT FANTASTIC SAVW OOTCE Size Description PRO BASKETBALL By BOB CHOOSE si2e Description Dual Steel OL4U K0575S14DualS.eelE HR78-14 pum" FR78-15 Dual Steel II DOVV FR78-15 Dual Steel II wsw HR78-15 Dual Steel II LR78-15 Dual Steel II Carrington shoots for San Diego job Drrdidl P1558UKU l43 Pl8580m3 Mal P18575R14 Jet FR78-15 MM 2.45 rD7ft5 Jet Radial FR7o-u 2.45 pio is Belted Jumbo F78'15 780 BSW 2.45 10 nars TWW 2.82 nftis Belted Jumbo 17845 780 WSW 306 tvrir Belted Jumbo L78'15 780 WSW 3.11 Bias Jumbo 780 WL 183 Bias Jumbo 780 BSW 183 D78-14 D78-14 F.E.T. 296 Ti ov 2.58 fon om nt P20570R14 Dual Steel 111 CE7M4 Dual See. 1.1 1 COdl 111 FR78-14 4O0WI Outline White Utter RYAN student. He has professional skills in every department, but not abundantly so.

In some ways, he would be the "safest" choice. Kreklow is a hustler with a good jumper. He basically duplicates Judkins' skills while being almost three inches shorter Make no mistake. Red Auer-bach wants to make a deal, if he can. The question, of course, is how much he'd be willing to give up.

Would he sacrifice Maxwell or Robey for a guard? Judkins? One of his draft picks? Any or all of the above? Stay tuned. People desiring a sneak preview of this mysterious Celtics team could do worse than attend the Celtics-76ers exhibition game at the Providence Civic Center Oct. 2. Tickets are priced at $8, $7 and $6, and if you've never been to a game in this comfortable building, you're missing something. In addition, Providence is an underrated city.

There are plenty of good places to eat and drink nearby. The Civic Center sits right on Rte. 95, and if you can't find it, you probably shouldn't have a driver's license to begin with. Releasing Curtis Rowe posed no immediate financial hardship for the Celtics, since two-thirds of his salary is deferred The latest news from Houston is that the current starting forwards are Rudy Tomjanovich and Robert Reid, which leaves Rick Barry coming off the bench Here's a blast from the recent past: Bill Willoughby is tearing it up at the Cavalier training camp. Another impressive Cleveland newcomer is the much-traveled Willie Smith, the southpaw guard from Missouri.

Since leaving the campus life in 1976, Smith has belonged to Chicago, Indiana, Philadelphia, Portland and Cleveland, playing a total of 16 NBA games. And guess who is sweating and straining and otherwise trying his best to save his reputation? Why, Walt Frazier, that's who San Antonio, winner of 48 regular-season games, has overhauled its bench. Gone are Coby Dietrick, Mike Green, Allan Bristow and Lou Dampier. Added to the Spurs' roster are Paul Griffin, Kevin Restani and Tate Armstrong Dave Cowens promised on the final day of last season that he would identify some enemy smart alecks this year "the first time they drive the lane." Judging from his new look and generally, er, intense outlook, I'd advise these unfortunate creatures to reserve their hospital beds now and avoid the rush Sayonara, Jim Pax-son, The Elder. WEEK OUVi The Detroit Pistons knew that Comr.

Larry O'Brien wouldn't give them Bob McAdoo straight up in the M.L. Carr compensation, so their actual request was for Cedric Maxwell and Jeff Judkins. They wanted to be aggressive, without being ridiculous One nice guy who might finish first after a three-year post-college od-yssey is our own Bob Carrington, the former Archbishop Williams ano) Boston College star who is being given a good chance to win a forward's job with the San Diego Clippers. San Diego is lacking in veteran forwards, the only experienced veterans with any skill being Sidney Wicks and Nick Weatherspoon. The rest of the Clipper forward corps include John Olive, Lew Massey (a 1978 Laker draft pick out of North Carolina-Charlotte) and good ol' Earl (The Twirl) Williams.

Jerome Whitehead is even getting some corner time Estimated combined legal fees of the Clippers and Trail Blazers in this Bill Walton compensation business: $200,000 Dave Meyers, who missed all of the '78-79 season with a back problem, is wending his way through the Milwaukee two-a-days. But he has yet to perform in his old reckless manner. Meanwhile, Sidney Moncrief is performing up to expectations. The Bucks have scheduled an exhibition game in Sidney's hometown of Little Rock, and, like the forthcoming Celtics game in Terre Haute, it was an immediate sellout. Should there be no trade, it's a reasonably safe assumption that 10 of the 11 spots on the Celtfcs roster are determined.

There are eight locks: Dave Cowens, Larry Bird, Carr, Maxwell, Rick Robey, Nate Archibald, Chris Ford and Judkins all will make the team. Eric Fernsten appears to have won a spot. That leaves room for two guards. There is little doubt that Gerald Henderson, in whom Bill Fitch has invested a lot of his personal prestige (remember Fitch's pronouncement that "Henderson is the equivalent of a first-round draft has the inside track. That leaves four men fighting for the remaining spot.

Included among that quartet are two veterans, Don Chaney and Kevin Stacom. The other two are free agent Ricky Marsh and third-round draft pick Wayne Kreklow. Chaney must somehow demonstrate that he can remain healthy. Stacom generally needs two things to function well, those being players with whom he can communicate on the floor and a coach who loves him. It appears he has the first, but not necessarily the second.

Marsh is like a good C-plus 4 wn BRAKE OVERHAUL FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT to) (2) II qui Car Care Specif XSust caster and camber SJk adjust steering Adjust toe settings Road test your care Youi Choice: 2 Front Disc2 Rear Drums. disc brake padsdrum brake linings New Wheel cylinders, brake hardware New front wheel grease seals Resurface drumsrotors Inspect Calipers Repack front wheel fceannys IT! USE YOUR JORDAN MARSH OR AMERICAN Both otters include flush bleedrermentuehyauuc svstenv. inspect master brake hoses, rear Saks. MostU.S. and some to-port carslight trucks to 12 ton.

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