The Leader-Post from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada • 31

The Ttegina, Wednesday. April 9, 1975 31 Teacher, sportsman Allan Pickard dead Lions spurn purchase bid VANCOUVER CP)-Directors of British Columbia Lions said Monday night they don't want the Canadian Football League club to go into private ownership. The statement was made at a news conference at, which the directors discussed a proposal to purchase the club by Lions 75, a group headed by Herb Capozzi, a former general manager of the team. The group has set the purchase price at $600,000 to' be paid to the current Lions membership and a guaranteed availability of was the governor of both the Saskatchewan and Western junior leagues and was a life member of the CAHA. He is a member of hockey's Hall of Fame and the Saskatchewan Sports Hall cf Fame.

Pickard managed to combine his work in his profession with his work in sports towards the betterment of both. His dedication to education and sports in Regina was officially recognized in 1907 Al Pickard school was named after him. He was a member of the Wascana Golf and Country Club for several years and served a term as president. His hobbies were golfing and fishing. Before leaving Regina in June, 1960, Pickard was honored with a plaque for his contribution to tlie city, at which time he stressed his love for teaching.

He said the raw materials of teaching are the most precious in the world young people. I have loved them all." time when the great period of senior hockey was unfolding in the province. He played for a short lime, later became coach and, when Aces amalgamated with the Vies at the start of the war, he was, named president. Pickard's administrative abilities- were quickly recognized and he was elected to the Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey Association, serving as president in 1941-42 and 1942-43. He was eventually made a life member of the association.

In the 1947-48 season, he was named president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association, a post which he held for three years As had been the case in Saskatchewan, people across Canada came to recognize Pickard as a strong man in hockey. In addition, he was president of the Saskatchewan senior league for a number of years and, later, president of the Western senior league before it turned professional. He Allan W. Pickard of Exeter, and formerly of Regina, died Monday but he will be remembered by many Canadian sportsmen who respected his approach to sports involvement. Pickard, who was 83, retired to his native home of Exeter in 19C0 after 36 years as a public school teacher in Regi-na.

During his teaching days he was deeply involved in sports administration. After graduating from the University of Western Ontario, he taught school for a brief period in rural points in Saskatchewan before coming to Kitchener school in Regina. He was a principal for 30 years at Benson, Strathcona, Davin, Kitchener, Connaught and Herchmcr schools. He became interested in local sports and helped organize and administer Regi-na's old YMCA hockey league, forerunner of the Parks league. In the late 1920s, he was a prime mover in the formation of the Regina senior Aces at a $400,000 in working capital.

The group also planned to roll back tickets prices, renovate Empire Stadium and said if the team didn't improve its perforance in five years, the membership of the community-owned club could' buy it back for $500,000. Brian Prentice, chairman of a six-member advisory group set up to study the bid. said the committee was unanimous in its recommendation that the bid be rejected at next Monday's membership meeting. He said the committee felt that Lions '75 offer was too low. The Toronto Argonauts of the Eastern Football Conference sold for $3 million two seasons ago.

Board chairman C.N. Woodward said "there's no way the club should be sold at $1.49 day prices." The $150,000 operating costs for this season was guaranteed by a club member so it isn't a sell-or-die situation, he said. Monday night. Lions' president Bill McEwan made, pub lie resolutions the directors plan to submit to the mem- fcplllMliiitelili LtMk ii Athletes recognized OTTAWA (CP) The number of Game Plan international card athletes rose to 91 Tuesday with the release of 1974 track and field ratings that include' four A-card and seven inter Allan Pickard national B-card competitors, The 1974 total of 91 world- oersnip meeting. ranked athletes compares with Theyi nclude expanding the 57 in 1973 NFL no-shows blamed on weather, losses more important influences on the number of no-shows than is the anti-blackout law." "Precipitation explained 46 per cent of the variation in no-shows," said the report.

"In contrast, the lifting of the blackout indicated only a 2.2 per cent increase in no-shows. "With regard to the lifting of the television blackout on season ticket sales, it was found that the number of cerned," said the FC Creport. Attendance during 1974 was down 708,981 over 1972, a 7.22 per cent reduction while actual attendance in 1973 was only 113,198, or 1.15 per cent, fewer than 1972, the year before the anti-blackout legislation. The FCC said it conducted statistical tests which indicated that precipitation and team standings are "much Actual attendance after deducting no-shows declined only 6.1 per cent in 1974 from 1973, going from 9.7 million to 9.1 million, the FCC said. "Given the players strike and the general state of the economy, plus the competitive threat of the World Football League, the NFL would appear to have had a 'good' year in 1974 so far as regular season attendance was con The FCC said the anti-blackout law resulted in 86 home games being televised locally during the 1974 season, plus six of seven post-season games, including the Super Bowl.

There' were 109 regular-season games -telecast during 1973, plus five post-season games, while only one game was televised locally in 1972, the Super Bowl. games televised locally had no statistically significant effect." The FCC report shows that the three cities with the greatest number of no-shows were Atlanta, Kansas City and Chicago, which had a combined record in 1974 of 12 victories and 30 defeats, while the least number of no-shows ere reported by Minnesota, a Super Bowl team, and Washington, a playoff club. board of directors to 12 from nine with the additional three coming from the members themselves. Another resolution would set annual dues at $25 if the 2,100 members do not hold a season's ticket. Otherwise the membership fees would be $5.

There were 800 members who did not hold season's tickets in 1974 when the Lions registered a deficit at the gate. The directors also disclosed the club has signed Mike Walker and Rocky Long who played in the World Football League last year. Another signing was that of Mark Stevenson, a defensive tackle at Simon Fraser University last year. Under the Game Plan athlete classification system, A-card holders rank one to eight in the world in their sport, and B-card athletes are rated nine to 16. The track and field listing is: A-card athletes Marjorie Bailey, Vancouver, Marvin Nash, Toronto, Debbie Brill, Victoria, and Glenda Reiser, Ottawa.

B-card athletes John Beers, Merritt, B.C., Hugh Fraser, Ottawa, Claude Montminy, Cap de la Madeleine, Yvonne Saunders, Guelph, Dan Shaughnessy, Toronto, Bruce Simpson, Ottawa, and Thelma Wright, Vancouver. Game Plan is a co-operative effort of the federal government, the provinces, the Canadian Olympic Association and Olympic Trust to increase the degree of Canadian excellence WASHINGTON (AP)-Bad weather and losing records were more to blame for no-shows at National Football League games than the lifting of the television blackout at home, according to the Federal Communications Commission. In its second annual report to Congress, the FCC said that although there were increases in no-shows fans who purchase tickets but do not attend since the blackout was lifted in 1973, "there is no indication that' professional football is about to become a 'studio Congress enacted legislation prior to the 1973 season to permit local televising of a game if all seats were sold 72 hours prior to the game. The NFL claimed during hearings on the legislation that there would be a decrease in attendance if the games were televised locally. Soccer makes own sunshine JIcFALL SIGNS in international sport.

CALGARY (CP) Calgary It provides sports governing Stampeders of the Western bodies with training and com- Football Conference announced petition allowances based on the Tuesday the signing of placeki- classification and number of cker Cyril McFall and John The NASL could have waited for the sun to peek through the economic clouds. But it didn't. It decided to make its own sunshine instead. 'In a recession there are certain businesses that become successful because of the hard times," said Phil Woosnam, commissioner of the NASL. "The beer industry is one.

People drop the hard stuff because it's too expensive and drink 50-cent beer instead. NEW YORK (AP)-The economy is kicking around most of the sports world to the point of intimidation. However, the North American Soccer League is kicking back. While the National Basketball Association has called off its planned expansion into Canada for 1975 and other leagues have, turned the expansion flood into a trickle, the NASL increased its ranks by six teams for the 1974 season and five more for 1975, another kicker. carded athletes in each sport.

Thompson, ii mm mi jfpmjmw mmwmfi mpim Tickets available tt: HOTEL SASK. SHOE SHINE ALSI'ORT SALES PARK STREET TOM BOY ALBERT PARK SHELL SERV1CI MOOSE JAW CO-OP STORE wninitrs pnARMAcr Whiten ood, Bask. LVLE'S HARDWARE Hill Ave. Centra "The same thing can happen in the sports industry. People have got to have outlets from their troubles, outlets they can afford.

Our sport is far enough along to do it. We didn't think the economy was going to hurt us." The NASL, a consolidation of two earlier leagues, appeared in 1968. It began with 17 teams. A year later, the NASL had five teams and many unpaid bills. "We didn't expect such heavy losses," Woosnam said.

"Our budgets were $800,000 to $1 million per club, and our losses were from $400,000 to $900,000. Woosnam said part of the problem was that expectation were too high and grass-roots interest too low. "It didn't look good for he said. "More than anything else, wo were able to make it because Lamar Hunt (Dallas owner) stayed aboard. He gave us credibility.

People said if he made it with the American Football League, he would make it with soccer. "But it wasn't easy. We had to build the whole thing from the negative base of having just lost 12 franchises." From a five-team league in team in 1B70, two in 1972, one, in 1973, six in 1974 and five in 1975. The league has more than doubled the last two years, in the midst of a recession. Woosnam said after 1969 the league promoted soccer in the suburbs and at the grass-roots level.

"The base was established. The time was right to make the big effort. The markets were ready and the economy was not going to stand in out way." Dillon Flames eye Kenridge amateur draft. Dillon, because of his age, is considered draftable by NHL teams and is expected to be among the top selections. Dillon, who has one season remaining on a three-year, $150,000 contract with Toros, referred all inquiries to his agent, Gus Badali.

"I've talked with Cliff Fletcher (Atlanta general manager) plus two other NHL teams," said Baali. "We do have a certain obligation to president Johnny Bassett of the Toros." New York Rangers, New York Islanders and Washington Capitals are also interested in Dillon, the Star said. TORONTO (CP)-The Toronto Star says Atlanta Flames of the National Hockey League are prepared to. come up with a multi-year, million-dollar contract for centre Wayne Dillon of Toronto Toros. Dillon, 19-year-old native of Toronto, led the World Hockey Association team in regular-season play this year with 29 goals and 66 assists for 95 In his rookie season last year he had "0 goals and 35 assists.

The Star said Tuesday that Flames are negotiating with a number of NHL teams that finished the regular-season schedule with less points so Atlanta can select him in the iftSMjSSK v.v:.:: Alouettes sign Burnett r-v. .1 MM -Ml ti IP i 1) -i. mmmMsm mmmm mmmmm mmm wmmmmmmmmimm mm i mm i mm mmmmmmmm mm iw mmmmmm I 7 jFf MONTREAL (CP) -Montreal Alouettes have signed Cliff Burnett, a six-foot-six-inch, 250-pound defensive end who played for the University of Montana, the Canadian Football League club announced Tuesday. He was1 a lOth-round draft choice of San Diego Chargers of the National Football League in 1973 but chose to join the CFL Edmonton Eskimos. He missed most of the season with injuries and was released last year, when he joined Philadelphia Bell of the World Football League.

Helicopter falls to ground The helicopter was chartered by Texas Rangers to fan the outfield dry before Tuesday night's American League baseball opener with Minnesota Twins. ARLINGTON, Tex. (AP)-A helicopter being used to dry out the soggy outfield at Arlington Stadium fell several feet to the ground Tuesday but the pilot was not injured. the AP Wircpholo Quick dip Gery Benedetti, in bow, and Terrance Kelly started out shooting Massachusetts' icy Green River to prepare for an upcoming canoe race. Their vessel deserted them along the way, however, undoubtedly prompting more practice in the future for the soggy sailors.

Suit tiled Cambridge an COMING SOON TO THE Alexandra Hotel "BIG SCREEN" ENTERTAINMENT Lakers, West at odds is an in his ideas, in his activities, and in his dress. For Spring he chooses a distinctive linen weave suit, tailored in the fine, imported blend of polyester and wool, that resists wrinkles and retains its good shape. The classic two button coat is finished with notched lapels and patch pockets. You can display your fashion and individuality too in this superb suit tailored by Cambridge. years after told he was being paid as much as any other player on the team, but that West had learned in 1974 that this was not true.

After news of West's suit spread, California Sports the company that owns Lakers, released a statement saying West had violated an agreement to play for Lakers during 1974-75. "West's precipitous, groundless repudiation of that agreement just prior to the start of the season was the principal cause for the Lakers suffering their most disastrous season in Los Angeles," the statement said, "finishing last for the first time, missing the playoffs for the first time and suffering a substantial drop in attendance for the first time." Said a Laker spokesman: LOS ANGELES (AP)-Los Angeles Lakers, sued by Jerry West for several million dollars, have blamed the former all-pro's "precipitous" retirement for their dismal record in the National Basketball Association this year. West's lawyer, Gar Shallen-bcrgcr, said West's suit wus filed Monday in Santa Monica superior court. It alleges that Lakers failed to make good on $200,000 a year they promised to pay West for his services for five years after his retirement in 1974. The suit also seeks the difference between West's salary and what was paid to the highest paid player on the team during the seasons front 1971-72 through 1973-74.

Shullcnbcrger said West signed his contract for those "If anyone "has the right to sue for repudiation of contract and fraud, it's the Lakers, not Jerry West." California Sports said it planned to counter-sue West for 52 million. West, a perennial all-pro, played 14 seasons with During that time he developed what a team spokesman said w-as a "very closo relationship" with the club's Canadlun-born owner, Jack Kent Cooke. Those feelings have apparently cooled during the current legal squabble. West was unavailable for comment. Lakers were 30-52 this year and finished last in the Pacific Division.

They missed the NBA playoffs for the first time 'since coming to Los Angeles in 1960. What is "Big Screen" Entertainment? IT MEANS: Stanley Cup Playoffs Baseball Games Foot-ball Games or any older live sports events being shown on a 8Vi square foot TV screen. IN COLOR, TOO! In addition, from video tapes, we will be able to entertain you with special programs like: The Greatest Fights of the Century Bull Fights from Mexico or even movies Watch for announcements of upcoming events Div. of Kyles Enterprises Kenridge Man's Store Ltd. 1865 SCARTH STREET.