The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • 266

Horseshoe victor throws 2 ringers to win tournament championship Trailing 19-18 Johnson threw two ringers in her final two pitches to win the title happy exciting to said Johnson is my first trophy and the first time I've won a tournament like to try it again sometime "I never played horseshoes before so I didn't think I could play well I was surprised to win but now I'm Sonya Silas of Central Park Is used to playing horseshoes well a horseshoe pit near her house at NW Sixth1 Avenue and 10th Street and Silas makes beating her neighbors a daily activity So it was only natural she would reach the finals and easily beat Mary Watkins are fun because good and I like to said Silas "It feels good to win a tournament In the girls 15-and-under doubles Silas became a double winner by Teaming with Rosalyn Berry to defeat Renee Addison and Tonya Dop-son of Dorsey Park 23-20 In sompetition held July 11 at LummTis Park Central Alexander Walden was the 12-and-under singles winner Later Walden teamed with Mike Johnson to win the doubles championship The 15-ahd-under singles title went to Nathaniel Jones of Range Park John McDonnell and Chakiris Twine of Central Park combined to win the 15-and-under doubles championship By GARY FERMAN Herald Writer As summertime tun sports go pitching horseshoes sure beats diving off cliffs or climbing tall mountains But when it comes to humiliation embarrassment and the agony of defeat an entirely different story The trouble with horseshoes is getting them close to the stake something many of the more than 100 youngsters who participated in the city of Miami's annual competition at Lummus Park over the past two weeks found tougher than it looks For the victors the city horseshoe championships could be the Super Bowl The thrill ot winning is always the same Take Margie Johnson a 12-year-old who represented Williams Park in the girls competition Friday Before she entered the tournament Johnson never had pitched horseshoes Before she won the 12-and-under singles title Johnson hadn't won anything She may have figured that any sport that has its roots behind the stables in ancient Rome couldn't be too tough After all the games are played to 21 and a mere ringer would get her three points Then Johnson could earn an addrtional point each time she pitched her horseshoe closer than her opponent to the buried metal pole Johnson convincingly worked her way into the finals before defeating Tammy Aaron 24-19 for the ALBERT COVA Miami HeraW Start 1'Yria 9 losses horseshoe al Itimmas I'ark pits no iite l'J-wur-old Margie Johnson non girl competition Diligence earns Hialeah grad a White Sox uniform After spending the winter in the Sarasota Instructional League Johnson reported to camp this spring hitting better than ever That earned him the promotion to Glens Falls and helped him hop-skotch over the AAA ranks and into the major leagues being called up is like a dream come true I've been playing baseball 1 1 years and this is something that I've always wanted to happen" he said "I feel I can make it here once I get the chance to give it my best shot I'd like to make baseball my career for quite where Coach Charlie Greene had him sit out a year While he couldn't play baseball Johnson lifted weights He got stronger and his wrists got quicker By the time baseball practice began in 1978 Johnson was a new player He batted 325 that year and hit six home runs The next season his 10 homers set a new Dade-South record Suddenly pro scouts gained confidence in Johnson He was drafted by the White Sox the third round and assigned to the Class A farm team in Appleton Wis where he hit 282 and had nine homers team All-County selection "He was a diligent player who hit consistently but always gave 110 percent" said Hialeah Coach Carl Gustafson "He's always had great potential It just came later than some kids not the type of kid who thinks highly of his ability and all he needed was confidence Now he thinks that nobody can hrow the ball by him I expect him to be a very quiet With no pro scouts and few colleges interested in his services Johnson went to Miami-Dade Community College South Campqs Fails NY "But it will be harder to stay here" Johnson said it was to get here" After uesday night Johnson had played in five games for the White Sox and batted 13 times He had two hits both singles) and was hit by a pitch once I came here I was hitting the bail real well and I hope that once I get used to things I can keep it up Johnson said a big adjustment "I'm young have a lot to learn yet and it will take time 1 was nervous as hell when I first got here Every day I'm more relaxed But I don't really know what IS going to happen" The stigma of that unpredictability is something that hovers over Johnson daily He can do little but hope that Chicago coaches have as much patience as he has confidence hope I can stay here the rest of the season because I'd get more of an opportunity to show what I can do" Johnson said have a lot of confidence in myself and each time I go to the plate 1 get more confidence" Johnson was graduated from Hialeah High School in 1976 a third- By GARY FERMAN Herald Wrltar $70000 That's what many high school baseball superstars received this summer when they were graduated signed pro contracts and were assigned to Class A or Rookie League teams Randy Johnson couldn't have paid a pro scout that much to sign him four years ago when he was graduated from Hialeah High School hitting was sporadic his skills unpolished But he was determined to become a professional baseball player That determination is the reason that today at the age of 21 Johnson wears the uniform of the Chicago White Sox He has blossomed into a 6-2 200-pound package of what both his present and former coaches feel is unlimited potential Johnson a first baseman-right fielder would like to call himself lucky But he doesn't have the time He has only been in the major leagues for 19 days after having batted 290 with 25 home runs and 70 runs batted in in only 75 games with a Class AA team in Glens 18 nw The MIAMI HERALD sports briefly tivities motor activities ond modified gomes and sports ore among the activities Coll Janet Shaw at 883 1037 for more formation TENNIS The city of Miami Springs is offering tennis climes ond private lessons to all family members Children clinics are held at 10 am on Sofurday mornings Adult sessions are conducted at 8 on Wednesdays and at 10 30 om on Tuesdays and Fridays Coll Jan Chergey at 885 3654 for information on these and other dosses 8E A HOT SHOT Boys and girls 9 to 18 years old who have a knack for basketball ore invited tp participate in the 1980 81 Pepsi Cola NBA Hotshot progrom in ploygrounds throughout Dade County Consult a local Miami or Dade County park for exact dates Wt want to keep track of locol sporting events ond activities If something is happening in your neighbor-hood lot us know Writ Sports Briefly Neighbors SOI 49th St Hialeah Flo 33012 FOOTBALL The Polm Springs Optimist Club will hold its second registrotion session Aug 2 ond 3 ot the Miomi lakes High School held between 1 ond 4 pm Players 8 through IS ore welcome Coll Steve Samuels at 681 9873 for more information SWIM MEET The 17th onnuol International Swimming Meet will be held ot Miami Springs Municipal Pool 1401 Westward Drive Aug 8 10 More than 450 swimmers from the United States ond 16 other countries will compete Preliminaries will be held Aug 8 and 9 ot 9 ond 7pm with the finals slated for Aug 10 ot 9 a Admission is 50 cents for the preliminaries ond SI for the fmols THERAPEUTIC RECREATION The oty of Hialeah is sponsoring new recreation progrom for handicapped individuals The pro gram ot Johnson Center 73W 23rd St is designed to develop fine ond gross motor skills ond social maturity Developmental ac Thursday July 24 1980.