The Gettysburg Times from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania • Page 11

THE GETTYSBURG TIMES. FRIDAY. JULY 18. 1980 PAGE ELEVEN Liberty Bell Track Field Classic Nehemiah Competing For Himself By BRUCE DALLAS AP Sports Writer (AP) still go to school and I still run track," said Renaldo 'Nehemiah after blowing away a worldclass field in the high hurdles at the Liberty Bell Track and Field Classic. 21-year-old Maryland senior, who shocked the 'world of collegiate athletics by giving up his track scholarship and NCAA eligibility this spring, explained his reasons after running a wind-aided 13.31 for the 110-meter highs.

did everything I could for the university," said Nehemiah, last year's NCAA and pending world record holder, 13.00. "Once they took'the Olympics away, I just wanted to go out and compete for myself. I wanted to control my event," the world's top-ranked hurdler over the last two years. The athletes are "not personally involved," in the boycott -of the Moscow Games ordered by President Carter to protest the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, Nehemiah said. "We've got to have something to look forward to," Nehemiah said.

"Our options (as amateurs) are very limited. "The invasion of Afghanistan I had a feeling something like that was going to happen." he said. "Everything was going too well for me. Everything I could control was going along too smoothly. I knew something outside my control would interfere somehow and ruin my (Olympic) chances." Nehemiah won the Olympic Trials in 13.26, the fastest time in the world this year, despite rain and cold weather.

"Everything was happening too' fast." he said of his rise to stardom. "Now I'm coming around. I'm finally strong physically." he said of the injuries that -have plagued him for nearly a year, causing him to miss the entire indoor season this past winter. "I had pneumonia until January, then torn cartilege in my left ankle (playing basketball) bothered me until June. After the Olympic trials, I got pleurisy." Nehemiah explained.

The departure from Maryland athletics has not been easy. "Just to cut ties off for personal reasons may be in my best interests but maybe, not for others," Nehemiah said. "Avid Maryland fans didn't understand that I wasn't a traitor," he said. "A lot of things made it look bad the injuries, and I didn't win one race." His win Thursday'was his first after he stopped competing for Maryland. "But I'm still a Maryland student," he said, explaining that he needs 30 credits to graduate.

"I'll just support myself and pay my own way," Nehemiah added. For Third Time, Asaad Misses Olympics By CHRIS ROBERTS Associated Press Writer PHILADELPHIA A -After being bumped from the 1872 and 1976 Olympics by politics. Egypt's Nagui Asaad was sure he was going to Moscow. Instead he sat on the scorched grass of a University of Pennsylvania practice fieW Thursday, having just captured the shotput title in the Liberty Bell Track and Field Classic. "Now.

it's Afghanistan." he said. But he was gracious. "I want to go. But the peace and the freedom must be in the he said. "The is important, but the peace, the freedom, they are more important." He has just made his victory toss, and the sweat ran off his tree trunk arms as he watched the women compete in these substitute Games.

Cars raced noisely by on an expressway overhead. Maybe 200 people watched, having treked under a hot sun from the main stadium to this field where the weight events were held. In 1972 in Munich. Asaad was three hours away from competing when the Egyptian team withdrew after the commando attack on the Israeli Olympic Village. In 1976 he traveled to Montreal for another shot at the gold.

Four days before he was to compete his nation pulled out again, this time protesting racial discrimination in South Africa. Asaad is 34 now. Ahead lies the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and "Who knows," said the father of three. "But I will keep training." Asaad holds a doctorate degree from the the East German Institute for Physical Education, and is an associate professor of physical education at tlie University of Cairo. He was one of five Egyptians to a i for Moscow, but the only one to come here.

He beat Ian Pyka of the United States Thursday for the title, putting the shot 64 feet. 7'4 inches to Pyka's 64-3. Gert Weil of Chile was third. "It was good to compete here," said Asaad. "The American is very strung "Maybe next time.

I go to the Olympics. I would be 38. But look at (discus thrower) Al Oerter. He did his best record and he's 43 years old this year. And (shotputter) Al Fuerbachk.

He's 35. "I hope the Games will be held in 1984 and I will be there. But the world must be happy. Because the peace is more important than the sports." Coffman Angry Despite Decathlon By RALPH BERNSTEIN AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) Bob Coffman could have been the last angry man instead of the winner in one of sport's toughest tests of endurance, strength and speed. The 29-year-old Coffman won the decathlon at the Liberty Bell Track and Field Classic, an alternate for the Olympic Games.

The husky Coffman edged Lee Palles, a Raleigh, N.C., accountant, by 49 points in a gruelling two-day, 18 hour, lOevent competition held in mid90 degree temperatures and humidity to match. You would think Coffman, a 6 foot, 3 inch, 205-pound former University of Southern California athlete now living in Houston, would be exhilarated. He wasn't. He was upset that one of his finest triumphs came in a meet admittedly a showcase for U.S. Olympic athletes and other countries boycotting the Olympic Games in Mos- cow.

The 28 other nations on hand joined President Carter in his boycott of the games, because of the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. Coffman, who spent a year training for the Moscow event while his pretty schoolteacher wife supported him, wasn't about to gracefully accept a copy of the Liberty Bell in lieu of a possible gold medal at the Olympics. "The Liberty Bell Track Meet is just somebody's self- serving idea to humor the athletes," said Coffman sullenly. "I'm 29, been playing for 10 years. I think it's about time to get a job," sad Coffman, alluding to the fact that by the time the next Olympics rolls around he'll be too old for his speciality, the decathlon.

Coffman didn't win by all that much. He finished 49 points ahead of to 8,009. He finished a staggering third in the 1,500 meter run, final event on the prog- ram, to salvage his triumph. Palles won the race. Coffman wouldn't admit it, but he might have been soured by the fact that Guido Kratschmer, the West German with the pending world record for the decathlon (8,649 last month) pulled out after seven events.

Kratschmer quit after fouling out three times in the discus. The German went home after saying he simply wasn't motivated by the meet. "After setting the world record, all my ambition is gone," said Kratschmer. Coffman said, "there is no way you can compare this i the Olympic Games. Don't even try." Coffman insisted that he didn't feel cheated because Kratschmer wasn't around for the finish of the decathlon.

"If Kratschnmer set a world record here I could have cared less," Coffman said. "This was just another track meet." Decker Highlights Meet By BRUCE DALLAS AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) Mary Decker arrived after a 25-hour journey and less than 24 hours later set her third American middle distance record in six days. Decker's performance was the high point of the Liberty Bell Track and Field Classic, the two-day international track meet organized for nearly 500 athletes from 27'countries boycotting the Moscow Olympics. Running alone from the start of the 1.500 meters, the 21-year-old Decker recorded a 4:00.87 Thursday, obliterating the 4:01.17 she ran last Saturday in Stuttgart, West Germany, before the ink had a chance to dry in the record book, record books. And before catching her plane in Oslo Tuesday, Decker ran an 8:38.73 in the 3,000 for another American mark.

"In Europe, everybody was getting on the plane to go to Moscow, and we were going home." said Decker, who nopes to challenge the East European and Russians in later meets this summer. "I will give it my all to be better than them, 1 she said. "But it's not like dreaming. You can't wake up and it's (the Olympic boycott) not there. You have to face it." Decker overcame the heat and the fatigue of travel to win by nearly 10 seconds over American teammates Julie Brown and Francie Larrieu.

who finished second and third, just .02 seconds apart. "I was feeling tired when I got here and I had my doubts, but when I saw the crowd, I got up for it," Decker said of the 20,111 spectators. China and Canada joined the United States in dominating the women's competition. China's Zheng Dazhen leaped 1.92 meters (6-feet- for first in the high jump. Teammate Xie Jainhua took first in the discus with a toss meters (185-7), and Asian recordholder Shen Lijuan won the women's shotput with a heave of 17.09 meters Laurie Kern set a new Canadian women's javelin record on her final attempt with a throw of 57.44 meters (188-5).

"It's the first time I've ever thrown in the field with people just watching the javelin," said the 23- year-old teacher from British Columbia. Canada's Yvonne Mondeshires captured the 800 in 2:02.34 over Robin Campbell of i States, 2:02.53. Chandra Cheeseborough led the U.S. to a sweep in the 100 with an 11.27 clocking. Jeanette Bolden was second, 11.41, and Karen Hawkins third, 11.43.

Canada's Angella Taylor topped Cheeseborough in the 200, 22.77 to 22.84, with Hawkins third. Gwen Gardner of the United States won the women's 400 with 52.04, with Canadian Charmaine Crooks second and American Roberta Belle, third. Stephanie Hightower had a 13.08 for first in the 100- meter hurdles, while Kathy McMillan captured the long jump. High school student Carol Lewis of the United States was second in the long jump. The Americans took both women's relays, winning the 4x100 in 44.57 and the 4x400 RECORD MAKER--Mary Decker of the United States crosses the finish line with an American record in the 1500 meter race Thursday night at the Liberty Bell Track and Field Classic in Philadelphia.

The record time was 4:00.87. (AP Laserphoto) Hoch Leads Quad Cities Open Holmes, All Set Fight Date By HAL BOCK AP Sports Writer YORK (AP) For the boxing community, it was a case of deja vu. Here were Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes hurling insults at one another, even wrestling briefly. Here was promoter Don King dropping oneliners left and right. Here was the formal announcement of "The Ultimate" match Ali against Holmes for the World Boxing Council heavyweight championship.

If you get the feeling that you've been through this scene before, well, that's because you have. A couple of times, in fact. Rio de Cairo. At various times the Holmes-All confrontation has been reported on its way to each of those exotic places. But it wound up in a familiar Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, which has hosted nine of Holmes' last 11 'Thedate is Oct.

2 for the record $14 million doted circuit promotion and this time the details including a reported $8 million for Ali and ff million for Holmes--are in place. So is a $1 million down payment check delivered by Caesars Palace at Thursday's sign- iMceremony. The date and the site had changed but the nwt of the routine was familiar. King called Mw flght "Ml epic," and Holmes recited a brief poem, borrowed from AlTsrfpetoire. Ali recited a longer one and lUnies, just to show he could make 0M caajapiMi loae his cool.

"1 cannot lose," murmurred Ah in a stage whisper loud enough to be heard all over the swank St. Moritz hotel, where the fight crowd gathered for the announcement. "It will be a nuclear explosion," promised King. "It will be a war," interjected Ali. "Knock out Holmes!" hq said.

"I'm going to knock out Holmes." It was as if the former champion, now 38 and away from the ring for two years, was trying to convince himself and the audience that he could recapture the magic. Holmes, of course, did not buy that. Neither did his manager, Richie Giachetti, or, for that matter, King. "This is 1980," began Holmes. "We are not living in the past.

He used to be good, but he's shaking hands with Father Time." Now it was Giachetti's turn. "When Larry looks over to me in his corner for the thumbs up or thumbs down sign, it'll be thumbs up for him, and thumbs down for Ali because he will fall in Caesars Palace," the manager said. King was next. "I rove you Ali," he said, "but you're like Napoleon. You have met your Waterloo," On and on, they went like that, presenting the repartee that is so much a part of the boxing scene, especially when Ali is involved.

Holmes didn't enjoy it and as soon as he could, only to wind up wrestling briefly with Ali in front of the dais. It was an obligatory confrontation and somehow, wrestling seemed entirely appropriate. By WAYNE SLATER Associated Press Writer COAL VALLEY. 111. A To hear Scott Hoch tell it.

he spent part of the day fighting the rough and the other sinking putts he didn't deserve. "I probably missed eight fairways today," lamented the 24year-old tour rookie from Raleigh, N.C. following his first round performance Thursday in the $200,000 Quad Cities Open. "I was driving erratically." he said. "I did not hit the ball all that well.

The last two holes, I was lucky to get in with pars." But shed no tears. Hoch finished the day with a blistering 7-under-par 63 to take a twostroke lead going into today's second round. His performance in pursuit of the $36,000 first place paycheck tied the Oakwood Country Club course record and matched the PGA tour low score of the year. "The reasons I shot 63 today was because of my putts," said Hoch, the 1979 British Amateur champion whose best finish as a pro was a tie for 19th in the Western Open. "I was making putts in the 8-to 15-foot range, but that can't last if I don't stay in the fairways." Hoch's only bogey of the round came on the 442-yard, par-4 fifth hole.

He collected a string of six birdies on the afternoon, sinking a 60-foot putt on No.7 to take that hole one stroke under par. Finishing the day at 5-underpar 65 were Canadian Dan Halldorson, runnerup in this year's Tucson Open; touring rookie Tom Jones of Tulsa. and Bill Sander of Seattle, Wash. Despite the Midwest heat wave, a slight breeze mitigated 92-degree temperatures on the Oakwood course Thursday. Showers earlier in the week left the greens in excellent shape.

"When you're having a good day, you don't feel the heat," said Sander. Bunched at 4-under-par after the first round were: Jim Barber, Howard Twitty, Gary Koch, Tommy Valentine, Calvin Peete, Mike Sullivan and Harry Taylor. i Quad Cities champion D.A. Weibring, suffering from a wrist injury, carded a double-bogey 6 on the fourth hole and a string of three more bogeys on the back nine to finish the day at 2-over-par 72 The only golfer here in the top 25 money winners on the PGA tour. Curtis Strange, finished at 1-under-par 69.

Others included David Eichelberger, 67; Victor Regalado, 68; George Archer, 69; and Frank Beard, 70. In his first start as a pro on the PGA tour, 1979 U.S. Open notable Bobby Clampett carded a disappointing 4-over-par 74. The Californian, who was ejected from the Open a year ago after wowing the gallery with a bag of trick shots, played it straight Thursday, but to no avail. Shug Jordan Dies AUBURN, Ala.

(AP) Ralph "Shug" Jordan, who led the Auburn football team to an 17-83-7 record, including 12 bowl trips and a national championship, died leukemia at the age of 69. Houvion Sets WorldI Record PARIS (AP) Philippe Houvion of France set a world pole vault record of 18 feet, inches, passing the old mark of established earlier this year by France's Thierry Vigneron. At the international track and field, U.S. Olympic champion Edwin Moses easily won the 4W-meter hurdles in 48.65 seconds. And that it was, with only one record of significance falling, that to the irrepressible distaff miler, Mary Decker.

Decker is on record blitz. She ran a 4:00.8 in the 1,500 meter run, for her third American record in a week. Her old 1,500 mark was set at Stuttgart, Germany, 4:01.17, last Saturday. She also set a 3,000 American Record with an :38.73 in Oslo three days ago. Decker said she wasn't sure if her time would have won a gold at Moscow, but she did note that she would have been rested instead of traveling from Europe the day before the race.

She is thinking of breaking the world mark for 1,5003:55.0. "It's definitely in my mind and not way in the back either," she said after her victory here Thursday. Other notable tnumps included a 13.31 by Renaldo Nehemiah in the 110 hurdles. James Walker in the 400 hurdles 48.6, Mel Lattany in the 100 meters 10.31; James Butler in the 200 20.65, antf Don Paige in the MO 1:47.19. All a're Americans.

Then there was Kenya's Billy Konchellah the 400 45.59, American'4teve Scott hi the 1,500 and Kip Kono of Kenya 5,000 13:37.52. In field events, -Larry Myricks took the long jump at 26 feet, inches, while Benn Fields captured the high jump with a 7-5V and Benn Plucknett won the tiis- cus with a toss of 201-tr- 1 China won the triple.jump on Zou Zhenxian's 2 effort, and the javelin as Shen Maomao bettered his 'Asian record of 283-9 with a 282-5. Scott Nielson of Canada won the hammer on a throw of 238-3 and Nagui Asaad of Egypt was first in the, shot put with a 64-7y 2 But the last Coffman, was the highlight as he won four events in' the decathlon. You really can't blame a guy for resenting his lost opportunity to fulfill a dream a gold at Moscow. Grimsley's World Kerry In Olympics Despite Arm-Twisting By WILL GRIMSLEY AP Special Correspondent MOSCOW A Australia's handsome Mark Kerry should pick up a medal or two, possibly a gold, in the Moscow Olympics unless he suffers ill effects from all the arm-twisting he's undergone.

"I've had a lot of it, both from my own government and the United States." says the 20year-old backstroke swimming specialist as he prepares for next week's events the Olympic Pool. "My conscience is clear. I have spent most of my life preparing for this day and I have no feeling of disloyalty at all over what I am doing. "When I was pressured not to compete, I told them that if they would quit selling wool and wheat to the Soviet Union I would gladly go along. I see no reason-that-the athletes shquld to suffer while business goes on as usual.

"That's a double standard." Kerry is a fully Americanized Australian. Born and reared in the town of Woolongong, a seaside resort south of Sydney, he received a college swimming scholarship from Indiana University at age 17, spent two years there at the knee of the great Dr. James Coun- silinan and then headed west. "I had been active stage work in high school and college," he said. "I decided that if I wanted to be an actor, I should go where the action was.

After deliberating between New York and Hollywood, I chose Hollywood." Kerry took up residence in Los Angeles in May. 1979, got a modeling job and started making periodic checks of the movie studios while continuing his intensive training routine. "I don't have an agent yet," he been spending a lot of.Ijnje, in training and I had thisKMym- pic trip on my mind. ICI.got a call, I didn't want to Have to say, 'Sorry, you wait until after Although hasn't resumed his undergraduate studies, Kerry has.fj^en working out with the California team, -iicse With' no big John Nabfelr to contend with, the rangy Australian is co-favorite with the USSR's Viktor Kuznetsov in the 100-meter backstroke and with Hungary's Sandor Wladar in the 200. His best time in the 100 this year is 57.43 seconds, just back of Kuznetsov's 57.36.

He has been timed in 2:04.34 iijfthe 200, second only to Wladar among Olympic competitors. At Montreal in 1976, at age 16. Mark finished fifth iriihe 200 backstroke and seventh in the 100. "I wasn't he said. "It was just poor little me against 6-foot-6 John Naber." Kerry is 6 feet, 2 inches tall, slender with blue eyesland a shock of blond hair that fits all Hollywood specifications.

Kerry said prior to coming to Moscow he received telephone calls from the State Department, as many as twice a day, urging Him not to compete in the Olympics. "They were very insistent," he added. "They even read headlines from Australian papers telling how badly the Russians were treating the Afghans. GOLDEN AGE TENNIS CLINIC (55 over) 8 hrg.SS starting July 21st Certified Instructor RT. 30 WEST BETWEEN YORK AND Saturday, July 1Mt, 8 PM WORLD of OUTLAW SUPER SPRINTS! 4 Time-Trials Huts --40-Ltf Futon ji To Win! Plus MotlHmt stocks AdmiMion $7.00 6-12 S1.00 UNDER 6 FREE FREE PARKING ty Friday, July 18th, 8 PM ADAMS COUNTY FISH ft GAME ASSOC.I CRAB FEED Sunday, July 27th 1 P.M.

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