The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 38

Ike's Dennis Blair in major leagues to stay he said. "I never saw myself as a big leaguer. My senior year I just kept looking through college catalogues. "I wanted to sign a contract out of high school if I could so I could give it a try, then go to college if it didn't work out. It's not that I'm hung up on baseball.

It's just that it was a challenge, and something I wanted to try." While Blair was looking through the catalogues, he also had a pretty good idea that he would get a chance to play baseball. Montreal scout Bob Zuk "worked with him during the winter of his senior year, helping him to develop his breaking pitches. "I had to quit in February because of CIF rules," Blair recalled. "He (Zuk) told my parents not to let the high school coaches over pitch me that year because he thought I had a chance to be a major league pitcher." Blair made it sooner than anybody thought he would, but he hasn't found "We were playing the Tidewater Mets and Danny Menandez, the manager, called me into his office," Blair recalled. "I had been pitching pretty good, so I had a pretty good idea he didn't want to ask me if I had a blister on my pitching hand.

I was thrilled when I found out I was being called up." He may never go back. "He doesn't act like a 20-year-old and he doesn't throw like one either," marveled Expos Manager Gene Mauch. "His arm action is similar to a young Don Drysdale, but Drysdale dropped his arm lower later in his career." "Yeah, a lot of people have told me that too. But I don't try to pattern myself after anybody. I just go out there and throw." While Blair is impressing others with his maturity and pitching, he still has to rub his eyes sometimes to realize where he is.

"It's been a big adjustment mentally," the physical adjustments as big as the mental ones. "I thought there would be a big difference between pitching in the minors and the majors, but I was quite wrong," he admitted. "When I first came up I had two good games, then I had two rotten ones and was sent down. "I was trying to be too fine. I thought if I made one little mistake someone would hit a home run.

Since I've been back, I've just been going out and throwing the ball, just like I did at Memphis. I've pitched 53 innings and I haven't given up a home run yet." Blair didn't care what team he went with, but is happy with the Expos' organization. "Montreal's a nice city and I don't mind pitching in Jarry Park, even though it is small. "And the French girls are something else," he added with a wide grin. A bachelor, Blair enjoys hiking and bicycling in his spare time.

Rlair is scheduled to get his next start tomorrow in San Francisco. But he isn't disappointed that he missed a chance to perform for his parents and friends while the Expos were in Los Angeles. "I had quite a few guest passes for my last start in San Diego," he laughed. "I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't pitched well. I would have had to crawl off the mound like this," he added, bending his 6-foot-5 frame nearly to the ground and covering his face with his hat.

"Fortunately," everything worked out okay. He's been successful. And the rest of the Expos have been successful enough to give Montreal a shot at winning the National League East. "It would really be something to come back here for the playoffs," Blair commented. "I never dared hope I might be here now, so you never can tell." By PALL HAGEN Sun-Telegram Sporti Writer LOS ANGELES Dennis Blair was 3-5 'his senior year in the Citrus Belt League.

Pennis Blair is 4-2 so far as a rookie in the National League. It's only been two years since Blair graduated from Eisenhower High School, so it's obvious he's done something more than change his brand of hair spray. "I've learned how to throw a slider and a curve," he explained happily before Tuesday's game against the Dodgers. Blair was invited to the Montreal Expos camp this spring, but as a non-roster player. With only two years of pro ball behind him, and no experience higher than class AA, his goal was to make Montreal's AAA club in Memphis.

He did, but didn't last very long. Instead, he found himself called up to the majors and except for a 10-day trip back has been there ever since. Friday, July 19, 1974 Spirits 9 iss.1" Dodgers dump Expos, 7-5 D-l The Sun-Telegram, Tony Adams in the thick of things as he completes one of nine straight passes in first half in Sun opener Sun-Telegram Dennis Blair photo ersmith pushed three more runs across and Wynn's blast into the left-center field seats gave him 67 RBI for the year and put Los Angeles ahead, 7-1. Montreal came back with three as Messersmith's control faltered in the fifth. Two walks and a single by Ron Fairly loaded the bases.

Messersmith then walked Boh Bailey to force in one run, saw another score when Lopes couldn't handle a ground hall to second hit by Mike Jorgensen. The final tally of the inning occurred when Barry Foote rapped a long fly to center. Fairly tagged and scored easily from third. The Expos picked up another run on Willie Davis' sixth home run of the year. It was Davis' first homer on the road this season, and the first fielded hy Messersmith since late May, and made the score 7-5.

Montreal had scored in the first inning when Davis doubled and moved to third on Fairly's single. He scored on a wild pitch. Davis went on a lfl-for-13 batting spree in the three-game series against his former teammates. Robinson, Chalk on AL squad NEW YORK (AP) Aging veterans Al Kaline and Frank Robinson, plus rookie Dave Chalk, headed a list of 12 reserves named yesterday by Manager Dick Williams to the American League All-Star team that will face thu National League Tuesday night at Pittsburgh. For the 39-year-old Kaline, the youngest player ever to win the AL batting title he did it at the age of Ralph Garr and Cesar Cedent) head list of National league All-Star reserves, D-3.

19 in 1955 with a .340 average this was his 18th selection to the All-Star team. For the 38-year-old Robinson, the only player in major league history to win the Most Valuable Player Awards in both leagues he did it with Cincinnati of the National Leauge in 1961 and with Baltimore of the AL in 1966 this was his 14th nomination to the All-Star team. Roth outfielders, now serving mainly as designated hitters, appeared to have made the team more out of sentiment than accomplishment this year. Kaline was hitting only .251 with four home runs and 30 runs batted in for the Detroit Tigers through games of Wednesday. Robinson was batting .253 with 13 homers and 47 RBI for the California Angels.

Chalk, a 23-year-old shortstop with California and the only rookie to make the 28-man American League team, had a .272 average with four homers and 24 runs batted in. ces in the Shrine game will induce more scholarship offers. "I'm not sure if I'm going to University of Pacific." said Gibson. wait until after the Shrine game to see if there are any offers. I haven't signed a letter of intent yet." Gibson, an All-CIF back, scaled in at 215, "but that's before dinner," he quipped.

"The food here is really great, and we can eat all we want. It's a good thing we have tough practices, or we'd all weigh more." "I'll be playing a corner rover, which is like a free safety," said the versatile Modes, who starred at quarterback and was all-league defensive back for the champion Terriers. "I'll also be on the punt team, the punt return team and the kickoff unit." Sun shines in Anaheim San Bernardino, Calif. Sun-Telegram play of his team, but. admitted that there is still a long row to hoe.

"Two games doesn't make history. But we've made tremendous strides, especially over four or. five months ago," he said. Most comment from the fans was favorable. "Wow, 46 points in a quarter," said one fan leaving after the game.

"They (the Sun) just let 'em get close," said one gentleman walking down the aisle. "Like hell," retorted his companion. "The Hawaiians had 'em on the run. If they'd had more time, they'd have won." Fears was not happy about giving up 31 points in the final quarter. "I don't want to make excuses, but we played all our kids tonight.

We had a lot of new people in there, but got the first string back in at the end when it looked like we might need another score." The Sun defensive line was solid all night, giving up just 22 yards rushing. However, the young defensive backfield was riddled for 271 yards, all but 10 of that total in the second half. "Overall, we played a good defensive Woodland Hills handles the defense. They have been running their sweating charges through twice-daily drills at Whittier College. A scrimmage is planned for tomorrow.

"We'll start it (the scrimmage) around 10 in the morning," Womack said, "and we'll only go about an hour. With everyone playing on our squad, it'll be equivalent to a normal two-hour scrimmage when half the players stand around." For the first time in the 23-year history of the classic, San Bernardino County will have four players in the game. Two are from Redlands backs Bruce Gibson and Mark Modes plus Jim Martinez of San Bernardino High and Harley Stark of Chaffey. By PAUL HAGEN Sun-Telegram Sporti Writer LOS ANGELES The Dodgers won the game but lost a pitcher last night. Los Angeles trimmed the Montreal Expos, 7-5, to break a three-game losing streak but also placed lefthander Tommy John on the 21-day disabled list.

The Dodgers mound staff had already been depleted by back spasms which hospitalized Jim Brewer and a stiff neck that has hampered Doug Rau. The Dodgers have recalled 20-year-old Rex Hanson from Albuquerque to fill the and John have identical 13-3 records. John had the best record in the National League before rupturing a ligament in his left arm Wednesday night. Hudson was the winning pitcher in the Pacific Coast League All-Star game last week. "If Rau's neck does not come around, Hudson will be the starter against Philadelphia," said Manager Walt Alston.

"From what I know of him, he's not the type that scares easily." The Dodgers open a three-game series against the Phillies tonight at 7:30. It will be Rau or Hudson against Ron Scheuler (4-11). It is Helmet Weekend with all children 14 and under receiving a Dodgers batting helmet when they come through the gale. A large crowd is expected. There were 24,491 in attendance last night.

Meanwhile, Brewer said yesterday that if his back problems don't get better, he will quit the game. "I'll go. on the voluntary retirement list," Brewer said. "I can't help the team this way." Andy Messersmith, despite an off night, continued to be the Dodgers most reliable pitcher. He scattered severi hits and struck out 10, an L.A., season high, in picking up his 11th win against two losses.

"I pitched poorly," Messersmith conceded. "But the guys were good enough to get me some runs. It was his 11th complete game of the season and sixth in a row. "I don't know what losing Tommy will do to us. I'd rather not talk about it, but it can't be good.

Injuries are part of any pennant race. Other teams have them. Losing the winningest pitcher in the National League hurts, but we'll have to just show our mettle." John accepted the news thai he was being shelved calmly. "I'm not surprised, he said. "They were talking about ten days or two weeks, and if you lay off that long it takes you a week to get ready to pitch again." Surgery is still a possibility, but the Dodgers are hoping that John will be able to bounce back and finish the season.

Seven runs in the fourth inning was just the right prescription to get the Dodgers back on the winning track. It matched the most runs A. has scored in an inning this year when thev got seven against San Francisco in May. Home runs by Ron Cey, his 12th, and Jimmy Wynn, his 21st. highlighted the outburst that had ten Dodgers come to the plate.

Willie Crawford singled to open the inning and set the stage for Cey's 63rd and 64th runs batted in of the season. Singles by Steve Yeagcr, Dave Lopes and Bill Buckner and a double by Mess "Stark looks like our starter at tight end," Womack said. "He looks the best at that position right now." Stark also had an invitation to the San Gabriel Valley All-Star game, played last night, but selected the Shrine game. "Gibson will be trading off with Binky Benton of Los Altos at tailback," Womack said. "I'll be using them to run in each play.

They've both been running 4.7 seconds in 40-yard sprints. Ricky Odom (Los Angeles i and Randy Simmrin (Burbank) have been clocked in 4.6." While Martinez will be attending San Bernardino Valley College in September and Stark will he enrolling at UCLA, Gibson and Modes are still undecided about their collegiate futures. Both are hoping that solid performan HMS photo by Sm Spina opener game. Our linebackers played real good tonight and (Dave) Holler had a good game." Roller, a tackle, was voted the defensive player of the game and credited with five tackles. Fears, a Hall of Famer after his Rams playing days, commended Tony Adams, his quarterback.

"I was misquoted last week when I said Tony didn't play a good game. What I meant was that he didn't play the kind of game we expected of him. "Tonight, he played up to our expectations." Adams, who spent last year on the San Diego taxi squad, completed 13 of 19 passes for 208 yards. He connected on his first nine passes in the first half, and ran for two touchdowns. Fears was asked how Adams compared with NFL quarterbacks.

"I can't say for sure. But I'll tell you this, he's better than anything we had when I was at Philadelphia in 1970 and 71. "He's better in all ways, passing, reading defenses, running, you name it. "He only had one chance in the NFL. I was tipped off about him by the (Continued on 3, Column 1) Hatfield was very pleased with the crowd Wednesday night.

"I never expected 32,000 fans in a million years," Hatfield said, looking almost lost among his huge football players. "I realistically expected 20,000 to 25,000 tonight." Total capacity for football is 42,000. However, the game was locally televised and that probably kept a few fans home. "We figured on about 5,000 staying home because of the television," said Hatfield. "We had real god support in our ticket sales and wanted to show our appreciation to the fans.

"But we won't televise anymore home games. This was the first and last time." Hatfield was also impressed with the ANAHEIM In the crowded Southern California Sun locker room after the harrowing 38-31 victory over Hawaii Wednesday night, someone offered Sun Head Coach Tom Fears a cigar. Fears looked at the cigar and said, "No thanks, I quit smoking three months ago." He paused a moment and then reached out and took the cigar. "What the hell, gimme the Fears' reluctance to accept the symbolic victory cigar was in keeping with his team's fourth quarter performance. After rolling ahead, 23-0, in the first three quarters, the Sun suddenly started giving up points as Hawaii rallied for 31 points in the final quarter that took Memphis Southmen defeat the Portland Storm, D-3; Has the novelty of the World Football League worn off.

D-4. 55 minutes to play. Fortunately for the Sun, it was able to add 15 points of its own to hold onto its first win in the young World Football League season. Marlin McKeever, the former Los Angeles Rams linebacker who is now an administrator with the Sun, came over to Fears. "We've all played games like that, coach," McKeever said.

"I haven't," growled Fears. "Thirty-one points in a quarter," he muttered. "Well," he said looking up and giving a faint smile, "no one went home." Some fans did exit early, especially when the Sun was ahead, 23-0. When they read the morning newspaper, they probably thought it was a mistake. However, it would be hard to blame some fans for leaving early.

More than 32,000 attended the game, but only about 25,000 of them had adequate seats. Anaheim Stadium was built for baseball, not football. The best baseball seats are the worst football seats. However, there are 25.000 good football seats. It's just that there aren't very many of them.

The Sun has an agreement with the city of Anaheim to have an additional 20,000 portable seats installed in the right field area if the Sun sells out 80 per cent of its season tickets for two years. According to Larry Hatfield, the Sun's principal owner, the Sun has sold just over 21,000 season tickets this year. Local All-Stars ready for Shrine Classic "I played at 240 pounds for the Cardinals, but I'm down to 235 now," said Martinez, who was added to the squad last week when a Monrovia tackle was dropped. "I was given two weeks off from my job at Southern Pacific, and I'm really thrilled about being in the game." "Martinez can go either way at tackle." Womack said, "hut it looks like we'll use him on offense. We're happy to have him.

He came highly rated by scouts at UCLA and USC." "I hear we're going to be passing about a third of the time," said Stark, the two-time All-CIF tight end at Chaffey who checked in at 215 pounds. "There are some pass plays to the tight end and I like that." By CLAUDE ANDERSON Sun-Telegram Day Sporta Editor WHITTIER President Richard Nixon used to ride the bench here when he was on the Whittier College football team, but North Coach Paul Wromack promised there won't be any benchwar-mers when his Shrine All-Stars meet the South in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena a week from tomorrow night. of our 28 players is going to see a lot of action in the Shrine game," the Redlands High mentor who serves as co-coach of the North said. "Those who don't go on offense or defense will be on the kickoff and punt units, or as substitutes." Womack is in charge of the offense and Hal Lambert of Taft High in.