Lexington Herald-Leader from Lexington, Kentucky • 35

Sunday Herald-Leader Lexington Kyn May 11 1980 C3 Officials Convinced Lexington Can Be Pro Softball Town Lexington Stallions' 1980 Schedule July 12-13 at Cleveland July 19-20 at Chicago July 26-27 CINCINNATI Aug 2-3 MILWAUKEE Aug 9-10 at Cincinnati Aug 16-17 CHICAGO Aug 23-24 CINCINNATI AN games are douMfr-headers Ticket prices: 6250 for adults $1 for senior citizens and children 12-and-under For more information phone 27S-0317 (Home games in CAPS) May 17-18 at Milwaukee May 24-25 CLEVELAND May 26 PITTSBURGH May 31-June 1 at Pittsburgh June 7-8 at Cincinnati June 14-15 at Chicago June 21-22 FT WAYNE June 28-29 at Ft Wayne July 4-5 PITTSBURGH July 6 FT WAYNE home runs stems from rules instituted by the North American Softball League that are different than most other softball leagues The bases will be 70 feet apart (five feet farther than usual) the fences at least 300 to 315 feet away from home plate basestealing is allowed and the games will go nine innings In addition a batter will receive walk on three balls will strike out on just two strikes and a foul ball on a second strike will be an out Runners can also advance if a ball eludes the catcher The league consists of eight teams in two divisions The Cindnnati Rivermen Cleveland Stephen's Competitors Detroit Auto Kings and the Pittsburgh Champions make up the Eastern Division Chicago Nationwide Advertising the Fort Wayne Ind Huggie-Bears the Milwaukee Schlitz and the Stallions comprise the Western Division world championship last season in the American Pro Slo-Pitch League defeating the Kentucky Bourbons who play out of Louisville in the best-of-nine series Six members of the Stallions were associated with the Bourbons last season including Bair Rardin and pitcher Phil Schroer who 'won 42 games out of the 64 the team played and was twice all-pro Besides serving as general manager Rardin will play third base and pitch He played four years of football and one year of baseball at Morehead State along with three years with the Bourbons He is a threfrtime all-pro Bair said that he will stick to managing and play unless the team is beset by injuries An assistant football coach at Henry Clay Bair played two years of baseball and three years of football at Kentucky and also was a Bourbon to three years chased controlling interest in Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association founded the North American Softball League in November and his Cleveland franchise was the first to join Stepien also per- 1 suaded former New York Yankee Joe Pepitone to set up a franchise in Chicago and help with the league's public relations Rardin said Stepien (an advertising executive) is providing most of the financing for the first year players will sign contracts for between $1000 and $4000 for the four-month season and also -will receive expense money for road trips The Lexington franchise will play nine home double-headers Admission Will be $250 for adults and $100 for senior citizens and children 12 or under Arrangements have not been finalized for the home field home run is almost taken out of the said Bair not exciting to see someone hit 30 home runs a year and trot around the bases With the Stallions see someone take the extra base or make a great play in the The reason for the dfremphasis on a lot of talent in this league' said Bair "This is more oriented toward the total athlete more than someone who just hits a home run every time up There is much more emphasis on defense than in amateur said Rardin The Milwaukee Schlitz won the Ted Stepien who recently pur McEnroe Gerulaitis Advance 9 In Tournament in New York Tennis Roundup By Marla Ridenour Stiff Writer Don Rardin Jr and Dave Bair are excited about the new product they have to sell slow-pitch softball with a few extra curves thrown in Rardin is the general manager and Bair manager of the Lexington Stallions a professional softball team in the new North American Softball League The Stallions will introduce professional softball to Lexington Saturday May 24 with a home-opening double-header against Cleveland at 7 pm They open with four games at Milwaukee May 17-18 Rardin and Bair are convinced that Lexington is a softball town seen the number of the softball teams grow from 125 to over 400 But just one reason convinced the Stallions will succeed think people will come out to enjoy some of the finest softball players in the eastern United States Watson 17 Shows Ability In State Tennis By Marla Ridenour Staff Writer John Watson has served notice that a force to be reckoned with in state tennis A 17-year-okl junior at Richmond Model Watson seemed unaware of the fact that he was unseeded in die State Indoor tournament this weekend at the Lexington Tennis Club After easy victories in the first two rounds Watson shocked No 3 Jamie Howell 24 64 Thursday Then Saturday morning Watson upended No I Jud Brown 4 7-6 (7-4 tiebreaker) However what looked like a storybook ride to the finals was rerouted later Saturday when No 2 seed Sonny Garner of Louisville handed Watson a 6-2 7-5 defeat in the semifinals of the open singles In the other semifinal Scott Smith of Lexington ousted another youngster 16-year-old Paul Varga of Louisville 64 60 Smith was trailing 3-1 in the first set before rallying to win 11 straight games The finals are set for today at 1 pm with the following at 2:30 Watson was obviously down on himself after the loss to Garner despite his excellent play in the tournament Break Serve just break serve my service return just took off on lamented Watson would have liked to have won it kinda disappointed But nobody I play in Richmond serves like Gamer 27 and pro at the Louisville Boat Club has a powerful serve and volley game with an amazing first serve Kit Watson nearly has die strength to match which is just as amazing considering that he's 10 years younger hits his first serve really AP UP) Uapatchaa For the second time months two New Yorkers will be meeting in the final of a major tennis championship in their hometown John McEnroe and Vitas Gerulaitis neither of whom is much of a crowd-pleaser especially in New York will vie for the $100000 top prize today in the Tournament of Champions The loser will get $40000 this one is for die New York said the top-seed McEnroe after he handled Raul Ramirez with routine ease 6-3 6-4 Saturday In the other semifinal Gerulaitis maintaining his mastery in de-breaks squelched a gallant bid by Vijay Amritraj for a 7-6 40 6 3 victory will be a neuter Gerulaitis joked referring to the finalists' lack at popularity in their hometown in eight both run a lot of balls down We both can' hit sane amazing shots when we have to and we both hate to Italian Women's Championships Top-seeded Chris Evert Lloyd elimi- nated fourth-seeded Hana Mandlikova of Czechoslovakia 64 3-6 6-3 in the semifinals of the $100000 Italian Women's Tennis Championships in Pe- rugia Italy Lloyd who lost in the semifinals of this tournament last year to the eventual champion Tracy Austin will play Virginia Ruzici in die -finals today Ruzici advanced by ousting Ivanna Madruga 6-3 -6-2 in the other semifinal match Ruzici was a finalist at the Italian Open in M78 HarakMjMdarDwid Fany John Watson of Richmond prepares to return against Jud Brown Saturday morning WIDESIMATERIAttCO 93 A aunty 1 Fayalta Coun-ttane who haw uaad Har- ald-Leader claaalfleda ahowa 93 recelwd a it-spanae to their ad Now ttiaTadaeayl Herald-Leader Classy Clasiifieds Telephone 254-5577 "I think his power comes from his said Carl Hoppe pro at Bluegrass Racquet Club where Watson works out on Saturdays and his father Buddy teaches got good timing a good stroke and good control and rotation on the Tom Higgins coach of the Eastern Kentucky tennis team already has his eye on Watson finally teaming to use his head said Higgins definitely a contender fa the state high school CQCKEQBBSilli iv EasfiSevent 700 college (NC State) and I played that much think it was 6-0 64 and it as dose as the score Friends and arch tennis rivals Lee McGuire and Tammy Woodrum battled it out twice Saturday first in the Central Kentucky Conference touma- ment with McGuire winning a three-setter Then McGuire seeded third in the Indoor topped Woodrum 6-2 64 McGuire will meet second-seeded Laura Martin a 6-0 6-0 winner over Rita Rose in 10:30 semifinals Gay Nutter who won the CKC title for the sixth straight year Saturday had little trouble in the Indoor with Susan Diamond winning 60 60 Top-seeded Nutter will meet fourth-seeded Katy Tinius a 60 61 victor over Carol Watson sister in the semis observed Garner of Watson he only got about 40 or 50 percent of diem in Of course the only time he double-faulted was in that last game (an match Contender For Championship Watson has the tennis buffs talking some even expected him to upset Gamer Although he beat Gar ner Watson still proved that a contender for-the state high school championship May 30-31 at the University of Kentucky Watson has already played in three state tournaments Last year he lost to eventual champion In Schech-ter in the quarterfinals Last year he was ranked seventh in the state in the beys 16 singles and played in Europe for two weeks in the summer finishing as runner-up in a junior doubles tournament in Holland with Scott McKay of Houston Texas Watson isn't sure where he gets his power just he says It could come from weight training for Watson has been lifting weights since last summer The last time Garner met Smith was three years ago and Gamer remembers the day welL was on day and he killed said Gamer of Smith was in the Louisville Country Chib tournament the year after I graduated from Clean-Up Special $6995 Includes: wash wax and polish deon wheels and tires remove tor dean vinyl top shampoo carpet dean upholstery polish chrome deon and point engine a Auto Dody Repair Special If you need body repair work but can't be without cor FREE RENTAL CAR with minimum of $300 auto body repair up to 5 days FREE rental 50 miles per day FREE Offer ends May IS 1960 FREE Oil Change Lube with a Tune-Up Increase your Gas AAileoge with Properly Tuned Engine ond Receive on Oil Change Lube FREE The Lexington Tennis Club Join now for a Summer MMliWOKt MUM WOLVERINE TOUGH OUTSIDE PURE COMFORT INSIDE We bred the spirit of the beast into every pair of Wolverine Boots And with deep cushion jpcrJgg walk in comfort wherever the trail leads whatever the job demands WOLVERINE Ora Shoes Clinics Mixed Doubles Parties Free Nursery Can FRANKFORT MfehaTe CteMng Stem nT Waal Broadway RICHMOND Ken-Car Clothing 9 Shoe SMEmUUMSL LAWRENCE3URG SNyecfca Shoe I 113 Hein 9L IRVINE Harty LEXINGTON Adame Stew 43C SouMand Or WINCHESTER Adama'eShoM Winchester Plaza CORBIN Shea Wortd Facte OuM 2SE By or Come by: The Lexington Tennis Club 410 Redding RL 272-4546 Offer ends May 31 1980 Jtmfc tzMio VOLVO 1460 New CrceRd 256-2161 ToB F-ee CSOO 432-9536 NTW SALES HOURS 6:30 AM-800 PM MCN-FRL 1 Yv 4 I 1 MM WWWMiM -r.