The Kokomo Tribune from Kokomo, Indiana • Page 36

36 KOKOMO (Ind.) TRIBUNE Sunday, Dec. 5, 1971 Leonard's Faith Pays Off Mount Has Found His 'Eye' After Bad Rookie Season By MIKE HAKKIS Associated Press Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS (AP)-In a Hoosier's mind, the name Rick Mount will always conjure up visions of a slender young man with an errant curl of blond hair on his forehead shooting high-arching jump shots that never miss. Since his high school days in Lebanon, Mount has been a symbol of Hoosier hysteriabasketball in Indiana. Therefore, it was a shock to many persons throughout the state when the 24-year-old former Purdue All-American suffered the indignity of a very bad rookie season in professional basketball. The young man, who holds many of the Big Ten's all-time scoring records, signed with the Indiana Pacers of the American Basketball Association immediately following the end of his career at Purdue in 1970.

He signed with the Pacers because they paid him a lot of money, reportedly near $1 million, and because he could then keep his family settled yeararound in their Lebanon home. Then Mount got off to a bad start, played poorly on defense and, the big- gest shock to the paying customers, shot poorly when he left the bench, which wasn't often. But Pacers Coach Bob "slick" Leonard, a former star guard at Indiana University and a former pro star, stuck with Mount. And, its paying off. In his first 22 games this season, Mount has hit on 48 per cent of his field goal attempts and is shooting 86 per cent from the free throw line.

He's been averaging 17 points a game while playing an average of 33 minutes each contest and he stands third on the dub in assists. Mount explains last year by saying, "I was hurt the first six weeks of the season and never did get into top shape. I would go for two or three minutes and get winded. The Big Ten's most valuable player in 1970 said, "I never doubted that I could play in the pros. I knew it would be tough but that it was just a matter of time if I kept working hard.

Leonard, a perfectionist, listened to the boos from the stands last season as he kept Mount on the bench. Mount was in the game, Leonard sometimes hid his head in his hands as Rick lost the man he was supposed to be guarding. Weight lifting and running were the major additions to Mount's summer work program, and it paid off. When the opening tipoff came last month, Rick was in the starting lineup. "Rick is playing real fine basketball," Leonard said.

"Everybody knows he can shoot the thing. I'm just happy for him. He has really progressed as a pro. "Defensivey, he's a much better ballplayer," Leonard added. "Now he's confident he can play and he's learned some of the smaller facets of the pro game." Leonard added, "He's running into some good defense now, but Rick is able to shoot the ball in traffic real well.

Ball handling was a big problem last season, but he's getting that confidence and he's doing a good job for us," the coach added. CHARLES PATTERSON There Are Some Offices In Which Work's Never Done "A MAN WORKS from sun to sun, but a woman's work is never done." I have a feeling that the Indiana Department of Natural Resources is in complete accord with the thought behind this old adage. Their work is never done. It's different with fishermen. They work our streams, ponds and lakes from early spring until late fall.

A small percentage fish through the ice. But when winter comes, most of them lay aside their rods in favor of their guns. Non-hunting fishermen spend the winter puttering around with their fishing gear, waiting for spring. Then when spring rolls around again, the cycle starts all over. But the Indiana Department of Natural Resource's work is never done.

It works the year around on numerous programs designed to give us the best possible hunting and fishing. For example, the department is currently working on new facilities which will greatly increase the hatching of both cold and warm water fish. It will spend $955,000 to construct a new cold-water hatchery at Kingsbury State Fish and Wildlife Area in Laporte County, and to reconstruct warm-water facilities at Cikana State Fish Hatchery in Morgan County. The projects will be funded from license sales by the Fish and Wildlife Division of the Department of Natural Resources, and will not involve general tax revenues. Originally, the Kingsbury Area was a World War II Army ordinance facility, southeast of Laporte.

The new hatchery will produce approximately 40,000 pounds per year of coho and Chinook salmon, steelhead and brown trout. It is estimated that the Kingsbury project will add at least a half million fish annually to Lake Michigan and its Indiana tributaries. Facilities will include a new hatchery building, at least five concrete rearing raceways, high volume wells with a total capacity of 4,000 gallons per minute, an egg-laying station, a weir, and creek-to-egg taking station waterway. The old Indiana warm-water hatcheries constructed in 1930 can no longer meet current needs. THE FORMER STATE Hatcheries at Lake Maxinkuckee, Riverside (Indianapolis), Scales Lake, Shakamak State Park, Tri-Lakes (Whitley County) and Lake Wawasee are no longer in operation.

The Department has purchased Cika- na, a former gold-fish farm north of Martinsville. Cikana will be reconstructed to give Indiana a central facility that should double present warm-water fish production. "The demands for fish stocking are steadily increasing," says John R. Lloyd, Director of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. "We are eager to provide fishing opportuniies wherever there are sufficient facilities.

"We hope to have Cikana producing fish in time to stock the new reservoir at Brookville Lakes in eastern Indiana. "The need for more fish stocking in Lake Michigan is obvious. We are able to gauge our cold-water fishing program far better than ever before. Salmon reared in Indiana are returning to Indiana to spawn. The life cycle is now established." Sportsmen will remember that in 1968, the Department released over 700,000 salmon and trout into Lake Michigan.

The fish were obtained from "homemade" hatching and rearing facilities, and from the U.S. Bureau of Sports Fisheries and Wildlife, and also from the State of Michigan. "Potential needs of the program have quickly outgrown the number of fish available to us from other sources," Lloyd continued. "Indiana must provide for the needs of Hoosier fishermen, both in the northern cold-water zone and in the warm-water areas. There also is a terrific economic impact, particularly important in an era of rising food costs.

"Hoosier fishermen want these increased opportunities and we are going to provide them." DEER HUNTING YARNS have been few and far between thus far, but the stories we have heard usually involve "home-grown" whitetails. Danny Herrell bagged a beautiful 12- point buck while hunting in Fulton County. Earlier, Danny brought down another buck with a bow and arrow in that area. Charles L. Love killed a nice 6-point buck near Winamae.

He was hunting in lot No. 7. Another local hunter, Ellis Gibson, also scored at Winamae. He came back to Kokomo with a good 8-pointer that dressed out at 160 pounds. You know, it's nice to hear about deer-hunting success in Indiana.

When the 01' Schoolmaster was a boy, a hunter had to leave the state if he wanted to hunt deer. Now hundreds of Hoosiers bag their deer right here in Hoosierland. And the time might not be far off when wild turkey hunting will increase in the state as more and more counties open seasons on this magnificent bird. THE CONSERVATION CORNER. "Tokyo Firm Loses Suit in Poisoning." These glad tidings were recently announced by the National Wildlife Federation.

The Nigata District Court ruled that a Japanese chemical manufacturing firm was responsible for the fatal poisoning of seven persons near its plants. The court ordered the company, Showa Denko. to pay $812,000 to the families of the seven victims and another 43 nearby residents who suffered various degrees of sickness from the 1964 poisoning. ABA STANDINGS East Division W. L.

Pet. G.8. Kentucky 4 .727 -Virginia IS 9 .635 3 New Yoik 10 13 .435 Floridians 5 .433 7 Pittsburgh 11 15 .423 7 Carolina 9 14 .391 7Vi West Division Utah 18 8 .692 -Indiana io .565 a Memphis 10 14 .417 i Denver 9 13 .409 7 Dallas 10 15 .400 7Vi Saturday's Games New York vs. Virginia at Roanoke Carolina at Indiana Kentucky at Denver Only 9ames scheduled Sunday's Games Denver at Pittsburgh Virginia at Memphis Only games scheduled Monday's Games Kentucky at Utah Only game scheduled RYMAN RESIGNS MINNESOTA A.D. POST MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.

(AP) Marsh W. Ryman announced his resignation Saturday as University of Minnesota athletic director. Rumors that Ryman would be asked to step aside, and that Murray Warmath would be replaced as football coach, had been circulating for several weeks. There was no word on Warmath Saturday. Ryman asked to be relieved of his duties as athletic director effective June 30, 1972.

He did not say whether he will stay at the university in another capacity. Ryman will be 62 in June and eligible for retirement. Ryman has been with the university for 36 years. He was appointed athletic director in 1963. Ohio State Whips Oregon, 68-57 By GEORGE STRODE Associated Press Writer COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Fifth- ranked Ohio State, behind 7-foot Luke Witte's 21 points, whipped Oregon 68-57 Saturday night in intersectional college basketball.

The Buckeyes, 2-0, took an early lead, built it to 30-16 at halftime, and led the rest of the way. Doug Little and Ken Strand each had 16 points for the Ducks, 1-1. Oregon crept to within six points several times midway in the second half before the much taller Buckeyes pulled away. Bob Siekmann came off the bench to score 14 points for Ohio State, 12 of them coming in the second half. Mark Minor and Dave Merchant had 10 apiece for the winners.

Hoosier's Mr. Basketball The Indiana Pacers' Rick Mount (10) drives against the Virginia Squires in Indianapolis Friday. Mount, since his high school days at Lebanon, Ind. has been a symbol of Hoosier Hysteria-basketball in the state. It was a rude shock for many when the former Purdue Ail-American had a bad rookie season.

(AP Wirephoto) TRIBUNE CAGERS GO AGAINST SYCAMORE COACHES MONDAY Some things seem to get better with age but this isn't the case with The Kokomo Tribune basketball team. The Big Blue Machine, which opened season play with a victory, has been in a tailspin ever since. And anyone who has seen the Tribuners perform would have to agree that the future doesn't appear too bright. However, the Tribuners seem to have a lot of fun and the benefit basketball games have helped raise money for various organizations. So, as you can see, it's not really if you win or lose that matters but rather, it's how much fun you have and how well you can form a good relationship with the city, county and area coaching staffs that really counts.

The Tribune cagers will be out to spread a little more GOOD WILL Monday night when they meet the Sycamore coaches and faculty members at Sycamore School. The benefit get-together gets the green light at 7:30 and the Sycamore Student Council is sponsoring the game. Price of admission for adults is 35 cents and students will be admitted for 25 cents. You'll surely agree that's a reasonable price for some funny hardwood tactics. Wouldn't you say so? The Tribuners will carry a 1-3 record into the contest.

Now, that record is nothing to write home about but let's not forget that the Big Blue Machine has never lost a game on its home floor mainly because it doesn't have a home floor! THE SYCAMORE coaches (some how they managed to turn the Big Blue Ma- chine into a real CLUNKER last year) will offer a veteran club. That's, they're veteran health club members. Sycamore Principal Jack Burkett says he'll be running around in short pants Monday, as will Bill Heck, Paul Linder, Jim Bess, Phil Allen, Cliff Fouts, Pete Robinson and Dan Johnson. The Tribune team is composed of Bob Ford, Mark Morrow, Louie Stout, Dick Beck, Dave Gentry, John Myers, Dave Kitchell, Donnie Wilson and Bob Walters. Following Monday's game, the Tribu- ners have a basketball date at the National Guard Armory on Wednesday, Dec.

8. The Big Blue Machine meets the National Guard Armory team at 6:30 and the Kokomo Firemen and the Police department get together at approximately 8 o'clock. The proceeds will go to the GOODFELLOWS. Ohio College All-Stars Defeat Indiana, 3-2, In Soccer Contest DAYTON, Ohio (AP)-Ohio beat Indiana 3-2 in the first annual Indiana- Ohio college allstar soccer game at Wright State University Saturday. Jim McMillan of Cleveland State scored two goals, including the winning one at the 15-minute mark of the fourth quarter.

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