Standard-Speaker from Hazleton, Pennsylvania • Page 14

14 Hazleton Standard-Speaker, Friday, October 29, 1993 Pennsylvania Scholastic Notes 'Dinny' Brennan helped bring the World series to life in the 1920s Hazleton. (Editor's Note: boxing fans the action in those classic The following article was submitted to the Standard-Speaker by Vic Oleyar of Oviedo, Fla. Oleyar is a former Freeland resident) By VIC OLEYAR For The Standard-Speaker How did kids (and many adults) enjoy the World Series before the TV age, even before radio? My grandson asked this question while we were watching the major league playoffs. Let me tell you how we did it in Freeland. We'd race from the Daniel Coxe Memorial School classroom (Washington and Chestnut Streets) at the 3:30 bell, sprint one block to Centre Street, make a left turn without losing a stride, then tear almost four blocks to join the crowd lining both sides of the street listening to Denis V.

"Dinny" Brenan, megaphone to mouth, intoning "baw-1-1-1 one" or "s-s-t-r-rike two." If we were lucky, it would only be the sixth, maybe the seventh, inning, and we would revel in knowing that there would be some terrific action in the closing innings maybe your favorite team scoring a cluster of runs to take the lead, maybe Babe Ruth smashing a homer to send the Yankees home a winner, maybe Grover Cleveland Alexander striking out the last Yankee barter with the bases loaded to give the Giants the victory. "Dinny" would be ensconced in a second-story window atop the billiards and bowling emporium in the 500 block of Centre Street, getting the play-by-play from Hubie McGarey, who manned the direct telephone line from the Standard-Sentinel -Plain Speaker offices eight miles away in The newspapers also operated a giant billboard that was erected for every World Series. It was two stories high and covered the second and third stories fronting Reinhart's Furniture Store on Hazleton's East Broad Street. It showed a baseball field, with lights spotting the players' and bases' positions. Lights also would track the runners once they got on base.

(Imagine all this 30 years before the first TV World Series on a tiny 12-inch screen!) Crowds of one to two thousand were usual on weekdays and much more for the weekend games. But we fans in small-town Freeland had to be satisfied with Dinny and his megaphone, but it was worth it. When the action slowed, while waiting for the Associated Press bulletins and the telephone relay to our town, Dinny would stretch the count to three-and-two. If there were men on base in a tense situation, Dinny would swing his megaphone out and slowly drawl "Crosetti hits a tremendous fly ball to left. A collective gasp would swell up from the crowd.

Dinny's fill-in "color," even though it was interrupted every 20 minutes or so by a clanging trolley car, was a lot better than today's peek-in-the-dugout or umpire-dusting-home-plate shots. Hubie, meanwhile, would be crayoning each batter's hit, walk, strike-out or fielder's choice on a white sheet of paper, which would be floated down to the street at the end of each inning and then hung up inside the billiard parlor, so latecomers could get a play-by-play read of the day's action. Dinny and his megaphone also brought heavyweight battles of the 1920s, including the Dcmpsey-Firpo knocked-out-of-the-ring brawl, the Dempsey-Carpentier fight from Boyle's Thirty Acres in Jersey City and the two Tunney-Dempsey battles, one from the Sesquicentennial in Philadelphia and the other from Chicago. Ahhh, those good ole days! How big were the Freeland crowds? Maybe 200 to 300 on weekdays and 700 to 800 for weekend games. For the heavyweight bouts, 500 to 600.

My first World Series was the Chicago White Sox-CincyCincy Reds duel (at age seven I couldn't pronounce Cincinnati), which went down in history as the Black Sox Scandal. But the next year's series, in 1920, between the Brooklyn Dodgers and Cleveland Indians, made all us coal region kids deliriously happy, because one of our guys, Stan Coveleskie, the Shamokin coal-cracker, pitched the Indians to three victories and the World Championship emulating another Pennsylvania Christy Mathewson, of Fac-toryville, whose three shutout victories gave the New York Giants the championship in the early years of the century. And in this 1920 series, of course, none of us old-timers will ever forget the first and only unassisted triple play in World Series history, split-seconded by Bill Wambsganss, the Indians' second-baseman. Interest in the Megaphone World Series began to wane about 1928 or '29, as radios proliferated and sports fans could gather around them to get immediate action. By 1932, Dinny and his megaphone were gone but not forgotten.

What a difference a year makes! Cooper again popular as Buckeyes get off to 7-0 start By ALAN ROBINSON AP Sports Writer PITTSBURGH (AP) Police had to restore order after Bethlehem Catholic's 20-17 victory over city rival Liberty produced one of the wildest finishes to a Pennsylvania high school football game in recent seasons. With no time left on the clock, Bethlehem Catholic quarterback Dan Kendra scored the winning touchdown from the 1-yard line, prompting considerable confusion among the 8,000 fans and dozens of players. The officials ruled there was time remaining when Kendra scored, even though the quarterback had frantically signaled for a time out that Catholic (7-1) did not possess with two seconds left. Because there was no time left when Kendra scored, both teams celebrated afterwards Liberty because it thought the quarterback sneak didn't count, Bethlehem Catholic because Kendra was in the end zone. What caused some of the confusion was the clock operator briefly stopped the clock with two seconds left and, of course, Kendra's frantic signal for a timeout.

Afterwards, Liberty coach Dick Ortwein refused to blame the officials. "I don't want any official criticized," he said. "We let the football game get away when we let them march down the field in the final minutes. We should not have given them the chance to score." Kendra was intercepted following Jason Brader's 1-yard touchdown run for Liberty with 3:50 to play, apparently sealing Catholic's upset loss. However, Liberty botched a fourth-and-1 play at the Catholic 29, allowing the Hawks to drive the 71 yards for the decisive score.

While Bethlehem Catholic was relieved to win a game it could have lost, Springdale was delighted to win a game it was supposed to lose. Springdale upset Leechburg Free basketball clinic Oct. 30 A free basketball clinic for boys and girls in second through sixth grade will be conducted Saturday, Oct. 30, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Penn State-Hazleton Campus Fieldhouse.

The clinic will be under the direction of former Hazleton High School player and current Muhlenberg College assistant basketball coach Pat Brogan. He will be assisted by other Muhlenberg coaches and several local basketball coaches. Boys and girls who are members of the PAL Basketball League can register by telephoning Jack Gaydoscik at 455-8934; boys and girls living in the Valley area can telephone John Shelanski at 788-4321; and members of the CYO League can contact their respective coaches. All others can register by telephoning Brogan at 454-2104. The clinic is being sponsored by the Hazleton City Recreation Department.

Hall of Fame fete scheduled Nov. 7 Hazleton Area High head basketball coach Bruce Leib, former West Hazleton High athlete Bob Probert and ex-Hazleton High athlete Joe Dudeck will be inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame Sunday, Nov. 7, at the Genetti Best Western Motor Lodge banquet hall in Wilkes-Barre. Tickets for the event are available from Ray Saul at the Standard-Speaker and Pat Garramone (788-4026). 12- 6, ending a 35-game losing streak that was one short of tying the WPIAL (PIAA District 7) record.

Saltsburg still holds the record with a 36-game streak from 1960-63. "I've been coaching for 32 years and I've won a WPIAL championship and have been to the playoffs, but I don't know of a feeling that I've ever had that surpasses the one I have now," Springdale coach Chuck Wagner said. Last year, he was under consideration for postseason all-star teams as a tight end and tackle. Now, he's a quarterback and a good one. Chad Salisbury, a converted lineman who had never played quarterback until this season, is the Pittsburgh area's leading passer.

The 6-foot-6, 230-pound Frazier junior has completed 138 of 251 passes for 2,063 yards and 21 touchdowns. He was 22 of 30 for 390 yards and five touchdowns as Frazier beat South Allegheny 38-14 to improve to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in its conference. Salisbury was moved to quarterback by Frazier's assistant coaches while his father, Frazier coach Tom Salisbury, recuperated from an illness. The elder Salisbury joked that the move nearly extended his recuperation. "I was probably under sedation when they told me," Salisbury told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"I said, 'You guys are trying to kill me The Post-Gazette's statewide football rankings: Class AAAA-1, North Hills, 8-0. 2, Upper St. Clair, 8-0. 3, Coatesville, 7-0, 4, Cumberland Valley, 7-1. 5, Central Bucks West, 6-1.

Class AAA 1, Berwick, 8-0. 2, Manheim Central, 8-0. 3, Sharon, 8-0. 4, Allentown Central Catholic, 8-0. 5, Bethlehem Catholic, 7-1.

Class AA 1, Dunmore, 7-0. 2, Washington, 8-0. 3, Dallas, 7-1. 4, Riverside, 8-0. 5, Aliquippa, 7-1.

Class A 1, Duquesne 8-0. 2, Southern Columbia 8-0. 3, Wyomissing, 7-0. 4, South Williamsport, 8-0. 5, Clairton, 7-1.

Notes: The Blackhawk holiday basketball tournament finals will be televised throughout western Pennsylvania by the KBL cable network. The tournament features Shaler High and Dan Fortson, the Titans' 6-9 prep Ail-American. One of three Pittsburgh teams currently with a losing record Brashear (3-4-1), Oliver (3-4-1) or Allderdice (3-5) will advance to the PIAA Class AAAA football playoffs. The Pittsburgh City League is guaranteed at least one entrant, but the city's top four teams are all in Class AAA. Schenley is 8-0, Perry and West-inghouse are 7-1 and Peabody is 5-3.

North Hills has advanced to No. 3 in USA Today's national prep football rankings and is fourth in the National Scholastic Poll. According to The Patriot in Harrisburg, Penn-Trafford's run-and-shoot offense leads the state in scoring with a 41.5 average. Schenley is second at 40.9. The state's top defensive team? South Williamsport has allowed just 13 points (1.6 average).

Last year's PIAA Class A runnerup, Smethport, has given up only 14 points. There are 35 unbeaten football teams in the state following losses by six previously unbeaten teams last weekend. Harrisburg, the state's top-ranked team by USA Today before the season started, is 5-1-1 following last week's 13- 13 tie with Chambersburg. Cumberland Valley is No. 3 in the national high school soccer coaches poll.

By RICK WARNER AP Football Writer COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) After Ohio State lost its first two Big Ten games last season, many fans wanted the school to fire John Cooper. Now Cooper is a leading contender for coach of the year. No wonder. The third-ranked Buckeyes (7-0) are off to their best start since 1979, have their highest ranking since 1986, and hold the outright lead in the Big Ten for the first time in seven years. Instead of calling radio shows to criticize Cooper, fans are now talking about Ohio State's chances of winning its first national championship in a quarter century.

"Sure we think about it," Cooper said. "We set our goals high at Ohio State." The Buckeyes are even wearing the same style jerseys as Woody Hayes' 1968 title team, with black stripes and numbers on their sleeves. But the comparison won't be taken seriously unless Ohio State wins its last four games, beginning with Saturday's showdown against No. 12 Penn State. The rest of the Buckeyes' schedule also is demanding, with games against No.

21 Wisconsin, No. 23 Indiana and No. 24 Michigan. "This is the time of year when the pretenders fade and the contenders step up," safety Chico Nelson said. "We think we're contenders, and we're ready to prove it." Although Cooper has won 66 percent of his games in six seasons at Ohio State, many Buckeye rooters still think he has a lot to prove.

They point out that he is 0-4-1 against arch-rival Michigan, 0-4 in bowl games and 5-13-2 vs. ranked teams since coming to Columbus. "They're right," said Cooper, who previously coached Tulsa and Arizona State. "We haven't beaten Michigan and we haven't won a bowl game. And I'm as disappointed by that as anyone." Expectations are always high at Ohio State, The defense can score, too.

Last week against Purdue, cornerback Marlon Kerner returned an interception 100 yards and noseguard Matt Finkes recovered a Boilermaker fumble in the end zone. "We like to be aggressive and go after the ball," Wilkinson said. Nelson said the team developed its unity and winning attitude over the summer, when almost all the Buckeyes stayed in Columbus and worked out together. "That really brought us closer," he said. "We're doing things together more than we used to.

It's like your teammates are your brothers, and you don't want to let your brother down." Not to mention the 94,000 people expected to pack horseshoe-shaped Ohio Stadium for the Buckeyes' first game against Penn State since the 1980 Fiesta Bowl. The teams have played eight times, but this will be their first Big Ten meeting. Penn State is playing its inaugural season in the league after 106 years as an independent. "This game isn't anything special," said Galloway, who leads the team with 10 touchdowns and is averaging 20 yards per catch. "They're just another team in our way." In the way of a Big Ten title, Rose Bowl trip and, maybe, a national championship.

"We've got a lot of potential," Walker said. "When we're clicking on all cylinders, we're hard to beat." If the Buckeyes win the national title, maybe some of Cooper's critics will finally forgive him for doing too many TV commercials when he first arrived in town, including a hot tub spot that landed him in hot water. But even if they don't, Cooper who has two more years left on his contract plans to stay at Ohio State for a long time. "This is the best job in college football," he said. "We've got great tradition, great fans and a great stadium.

What more could you ask for?" where Hayes won 13 Big Ten titles and two AP national championships during his 28-year reign from 1951-1978. Just ask Earle Bruce, who was fired in 1987 after compiling an impressive 81-26-1 record with the Buckeyes. "The only thing that satisfies Columbus is an undefeated season and the Rose Bowl championship," said Bruce, now a sports talk show host on a local radio station. "It's always been that way. If you don't win all the time, they're going to hit you in the head with a shovel." Ohio State gets so much attention because there's no competition from pro sports.

Although Columbus is the largest city in Ohio, it doesn't have an NFL, NBA, NHL or major league baseball team. "We're the only game in town," said quarterback Bobby Hoying, grandson of former Cincinnati Reds slugger Wally Post. "People here live for Ohio State football." So far this season, life has been good for Buckeye fans. Their team has won its first seven games by an average of 22 points, although that does include blowouts over patsies Rice, Pittsburgh, Northwestern and Purdue. Led by a talented trio of tailbacks, a veteran offensive line and big-play receiver Joey Galloway, Ohio State is leading the Big Ten in scoring with a 37.4 average.

The Buckeyes also have a stingy defense that features strong, speedy linebackers and 6-foot-5, 300-pound tackle Dan "Big Daddy" Wilkinson. Wilkinson, a sophomore from Dayton, has a 30-inch vertical jump and can bench press 475 pounds. "He's a man among boys," Cooper said. "The good Lord doesn't create us all equal, and he's a good example." Sports publicist Steve Snapp, who's been at Ohio State since 1969, said this is the Buckeyes' best defense since the 1973 unit that included Randy Gradishar, Rick Mid-dleton, Tim Fox and Neal Colzie. "This is a big-time defense," Snapp said.

"They're fast, physical and deep." Pine Chip has edge on American Winner POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (AP) Trainer Chuck Sylvester isn't ready to compare Pine Chip with Mack Lobell, but he doesn't mind comparing him with American Winner. "Pine Chip has to do more things before he can be compared with Mack Lobell," said Sylvester, who trains Pine Chip and used to train Mack Lobell, considered by many the greatest trotter ever. YOU HINT FIND A DEM um THUS OTUlfiME. Breeders Crown 20 more ammo in this special 24 onship going into one of four Breeders Crown races tonight at Pompano Harness.

"We've really dominated him lately." Pine Chip holds a 5-4 lead over American Winner this year and has won their last three meetings including the Kentucky Futurity final Oct. 8 at the Red Mile in Lexington in which American Winner was going for the Triple Crown of Trotting. American Winner finished second to Pine Chip in the Transylvania at the Red Mile and in 5K race Nov. 14 The seventh annual "WE THE 5K race will be held Sunday, Nov. 14, at 2 p.m.

at the American Legion, Post 44, in Northumberland. The race will benefit the Priestley Forsyth Memorial Library. A youth half-mile race will be run at 2:40 p.m. from the same location. There will be awards in various age categories, along with shirts and door prizes.

Refreshments will be provided to the participants following the races. More informatin and applications can be obtained from the Priestley Forsyth Memorial Library, 100 King Northumberland, PA or by telephoning Chuck Saylor at 717-286-7777 or 717-473-9184 (evenings). bonus pack 01 Sylvester feels, however, that Pine Chip has done enough already to be compared favorably with American Winner. "Right now we're ahead," Sylvester said of his colt's battle with American Winner for the 3-year-old colt trotting champi- the first heat of the Kentucky Futurity, but he went off stride and was disqualified in the deciding second heat. He came out of the race sore in his right front leg.

"I think the championship was decided at the Hambletonian and definitely at Syracuse," said Bob Key, a co-owner of American Winner. "But if I was Chuck Sylvester, I'd argue, too." American Winner beat Pine Chip three straight times during the summer, including the final of Hambletonian, the second race in the Triple Crown, and a division of the Zweig Memorial Aug. 27 at Syracuse, N.Y. Key then said, however, "To get 3-year-old trotter of the year, he has to be in the Breeders Crown." After the Kentucky Futurity, there was talk of retiring American Winner, but the colt has trained well and so it was decided to try the Breeders Crown. "Actually, the right front leg was sore coming out of Syracuse, but it was more soft tissue than anything else," Key said.

"We wouldn't be racing him if there was any possiblity of a fracture." Pine Chip finished third in a Hambletonian elimination heat won by American winner Sept. 7 at the Meadowlands, then finished second to him in the final and in the Zweig. In their other three meetings, Pine Chip finished first and American Winner second in a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes at The' Meadows and the Beacon Course' Trot final at the Meadowlands, while American Winner finished first and Pine Chip second in another Pennsylvania Sire Stakes at The Meadows. Pine Chip did not compete when American Winner won the Yonkers Trot, the first race of the Triple Crown. Pine Chip, driven by John Campbell, was the 3-5 early favorite over the 4-5 entry of American Winner, driven by Ron Pierce, and Hi Noon Star, also; owned by Key and driven by Ron Waples.

"Don't forget Hi Noon Key said. "He's the third best trotter in the country. Sylvester can't argue about that." The favorites in the other three Breeders' Crown races on Pom-pano's five-eighths-mile track are Winky's Goal, 9-5, 3-year-old Filly Trot; unbeaten Wesgate Crown, 7-5, 2-year-old Colt Trot, and Prolific Lady, 9-5, in the 2-year-old Filly Trot. MEL OTT In 1946 Manager Mel Ott of the Giants was ejected in both halves of a double-header. Hank Aaron hit home run 715 on April 8, 1974, to set a major league record.

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