Kingsport News from Kingsport, Tennessee • Page 4

Player Calls His Shojt, Wins 2nd Masters Title Leaders' Cards Bv DAVID MOFFIT UPI Sports Writer AUGUSTA, (UPI) Gary Player called the shol that wrapped up his secorid Masters championship. The little South African was standing in the 17th fairway with' his caddie, Eddie McCoy: "I was hitting the hall so well and putting so badly. I said, 'Eddie, we're nut going to putt this Player, winner here in 1961, asked or a nine-iron and placed the ball' just eight inches from the pin to lock up his two-stroke victory. The Masters winner had an overall unspectacular TO in Sunday's final round. But his 10-under total of 278 lust year's Masters ss recuperating frotn one on his bladder Player because he tw op oral i best ever at the Aueusta Na to remove a cyst from and the othi his left lee.

and his next tairhainent In this country will be ttp Colonial at Ft. Worth in mid-Mayi i Player will be atColonial because that has been "dgsiyiated as one of three tournaments liis year that all of the top PGA prasbusl enter. "I don't like Uudca.of a designated fumed Player. "It makes it diffikih for a foreign golfer. I have to tavcl 10,000 miles and 1 have six kidsjlt's tough.

I want to play. in this cofntry, but I also have to.play at hone. Maurice Bembriige of England, a sensation here Sunlay. when he tied the Masters record frith a closing 8- under-par 64, also isilaying in Spain this Remhrldge at fitt planned to leave without wailint tu see how he stood wilh his 283 bit stuck around for the awards cercmv. He wound -J.

up lied for ninlh with IJjbert Green, a strokc behind BobbyNichols and Phil Rodgers. Arnold Palmer" had.aV Sunday, best Masters -round a 12 years, and at 284 with Brice Cramp- ton, Jerry Heard and DavlHill. And Sam Snoad, the almost te-'year-bid wonder, was par or bettc all four days and had a 286. Player started the final rlund one stroke behind Stockton but caughl up oh the- par 3 sixth holiwith a birdie and never -trailed again. Weiskopf, three strokes bacl at the start of Ihe round, caught Pkycr at the long loth hut fell hack alain on the very next hole when he lot the ball in the water.

1 Nicklaus was Furious at hiniclf. "1 had a 60 without hiltingmany-l good shots," said Nicklaus wo ap-' pcared to be making a run at llayer when he eaglcd the 13th could just as easily have beenJce. "I'm not feeling very good I'm mad at myself for maklii two' hncevs. I'm nnt sunwsed to dj that. I' tional.

It was good enough to heat third-round leader Dave Stockton and Tom Weiskopf who finished at 2R0 and good enough to beat pro-tournament favorite Jack Nicklaus, first-round leader Jim Colbert and Halo Irwin, all at 281. "I've won seven major championships, hut I played far superior (From tee to green) in this tournament than in any of the others," said Flayer. "However, I putted like a dub and that was a little frustrat- mm didn't return to the United States in 1073 until late May. when he played in the Atlanta Golf Classic S70 miles west of here, and he didn't regain his normal touch until he won the Southern Open, also in Georgia, in September. tried Id play too soon after the operation," Player admitted.

didn't have my strength." But after winning the Southern, Player. 37, also.won the World Match Play in England and three other tournaments in his native South Africa and his victory here was his 96th worldwide in a 20-year career. "1 travel more than any other athlete in the insisted Player. "This is one of the reasons why I don't play more tournaments in this country. I have many commitments elsewhere." Player, traveling with his wife and five of his slv was in a hurry to get out of town after the Masters.

His next tournament is In the Spanish Open which begins on Wednesday. It will be a month before Player returns to the Slates. After Spain, he is playing in Japan and South Africa Player also has won two PGA, two British Open and one U.S. Open titles. Sunday's victory lied him with Harry Vardon, the pre-World War I British star, for most major victories by a foreign golfer.

The 535,000 he earned Sunday made him the first foreigner to win more than SI million in U.S. golf play. That statistic did not impress Player. "I passed SI million in golf earnings three years ago," he said, referring to the additional money he has earned in tournaments elsewhere. "They're not counting that, but, friends, it spends just the same." BHHillife'i.

1 mmw was making some bad golfswings- Tom Wclskopf (lower left), jack Nteklaus (upper left) aiid Dave Stockton upper right). all made valiant bids for the Masters Golf title Sunday, hut in the end, Gary Player donncd.thc Green Jacket that traditionally goes to the winner of the tournament. and that stupid. mm MMJMKKK if fry 11 mm mmm try Player Victory Fooled Oddsmakers If the idea didn't to odds-makers, it certainly occurr Gary Player "Are vou going lo win. DacUv?" one of his kids asked him aftej he charged into a second-place tieyith Jim Colbert, only a stroke ind BvFREDMcMANE UPI Sports Writer Who says Clevela nd isn't a nice place to visit? -So what If it doesn't have the glamor of New York, llie sophistication of San Francisco or the charm uf Now Orleans.

It has something better than all three if you happen to be a major league ballplayer. yearin homers, hit nine mi the day, including six in a 0-5 opening game, victory, while the Indians countered with three, Including a pair by Dave Duncan in the nightcap that led to.ifi-6 triumph. The kewpie doll winner for the day, however, was New York's Gralg Nettles, who belted two homers in each game and Finished the day with seven runs batted in. Nettles, an ex-Indian, said line of the reasons for the early rashpf homers could b'e attributed to' the'energy crisis and'the switch from eastern standard lo daylight saying time. 1 "One thing that lias helped this year is that we're not playing in any bad shadows.

Daylight s.avi:iij lime has helped," said Net lies, 'who already has hit six homers this season. "I like lo Dave Stockton, the leader, in Stur-day's round. "I'm sure going to try," Pliycr replied. Gary Playur. trying is the sarre as Secretariat running very harl to beat.

1 Player took the lead from SVbciton the ninth hole Sunday placing him head-and-head and never gave it back. "He was just too much," Stockton said. "1 had-an eagle putt on the 13ti that stopped four inches' short which still gave me a birdie, hut hi made a 12-fDotcr for a birdie on hii waukee was rained out. Red' Sox 7 Tigers 5 Dwight Evans, John Kennedy and Carl Yastr zemski homered off Mickey Lolich within the First three Innings and the Red Sox hung on tn defeat the Tigers. Evans hit a two-run homer in the first, Kennedy added a solo shot in the second and Yaslrjemski tagged asolo blast in the third to send Uhch lo his, third straight defeat F.o Brinkman hart a hniner tor Detroit.

Angels 6 While Sox 3 l. .1,. Frank Robinson Ml the.555tb homer of his career and also singled home another run- in leading the Angels over the While Sox. Rookie' lefthander Frank Tanana notched his second win with six innings of work.while Stan Bahnscn was tagged with his second loss. Twins 8 Royals 0 nobby Darwin hit' a grand slam homr-r, triple and two singles lo power the Twins past the Royals.

Darwin, boosting his batting average to .500. staked Bert Blyleven to a four-run lead in the second inning with his third careur grand slam and Blyleven, wilh relief help from Bill Campbell, notched his second victory. Blyleven suffered a muscle strain above the right elbow in the eighth Inning and was'forced to leave, but the injury was nol believed tobe serious. Oakland 4-2, Texas 2-10 i At the beginning of lastjscnsoivlhe Indians' officials reduced the distance to the fencc'iri the' power alleys at the old ballpark by.2.0 feet, 'culling the measurements from 38o feet to 305 feel, in an effort lo increase home run production. The results were staggering.

There were 192 home runs hit at Municipal Stadium last year, more than in any major league park except; Atlanta. That marked an increase of 54 hrimers: frum the previous season when the fence was in own right on top of me. What can yuu? toughest parks in the American League, in which tn hit huiue runs becamo tho ensiest that?" By MILTON RICHMAN UPI Sports Editor AUGUSTA, 'Ga. (UPI) The odds-makers think they know everything. Actually they do, and that's why it's so rare that they get fooled.

Gary Player fooled them a little here by, winning his second Masters' golf championship Sunday and apart from first place money he's gbiffgtbaek home with. Player also has the finest possible bonus of all pure unadulterated satisfaction. Before -the Masters began last Thursday the one name everybody here was throwing around was Jack Nicklaus'. Why not? He's a four-lime winner here and has taken over the lease on the place from Arnold Palmer. Lcdbroke's, the London bookmakers, liked Jack Nicklaus, too.

They made him the 3-1 favorite. Johnny Miller was pegged at 4-1 right behind Nicklaus, and in back of him were Tom Weiskopf and Ben Crenshaw, both shots. Gary Player? Oh him! Yeah, he was in this thing also, but he wasn't figured any better than 20-1. They didn't reckon on Gary Player too much in this one. Somebody up there in Ledbrnke's might've overlooked one seemingly unimportant item though, Gary Player had five o( his six children with him, Jennifer, 15.

Mark 13, Wayne 12, Miehclc 10, and Theresa, St. They'd never been to the Masters' before. II should've occurred to the ndds-niakers that any man who turned over his entire purse to charity, as Gary Player did, when he won tho U.S. Open in 1965, might be moved similarly to win' a big one especially so his kids could see him do 11. The mere fact that the opposition hit.

more home suns there than the Indians last year did Anytime Player seizes the lead, hel doesn't let go easily. Usually he seem 1n hot her Tribe mauneement. aiid the doesn let go at all. "He's about as good a player as I lucre is with tne lead, says Lolbert. i season.

So far baseballs have been disappearing faster than Wliite House tapes at a.Congrcs- hit in this and I've always liked.to hit The last two homers I hit today would have been in why park, but the first two might have had some help from the wind." New York's Bobby Murcer, who did not hit a home inn nil of spring training, joined in the derby with a homer in each game and Thurman Munson. Sinn Sllombcrg and Mike Hegan all hit homers. in the first game for the Charlie Spikes also had a First game homer for Cleveland Home runs also played prominent roles in the other At. games as Boston nipped Detroit 7-5, California downed Chicago Minnesota" blanked Kansas City 8-0 and Texas routed Oakland iO-li In the nightcap of a doublchender after losing-the opener 4-2. Baltimore at Mil "I'd say he's as good with it as Jack I (Nicklaus): is.

Jack is a bette cnarcer. hut lie's not anv bette The Indians have played only six fames at home and already there have been 21 home runs popped over the short More than half of that total 12 to be exact were hit Sunday as front. When I looked up on the board and saw Gary had the lead, I felt I'd Reggie utuoaaeu a pair oi uuiul-i and drove in all four Oakland runs in Ihe opener while helping Catfish Hunter lo his second vic-torv. All five of Jackson's homers this season have come against Texas. In thc nigtitcap Dave Nelson drove in six runs for Texas with a three-run homer, single and sacrifice fly and Ferguson Jenkins notched his second triumph with a mute-going seven-hitter.

have to citeh' him. I knew he woman 1 come hack. the Indians. The Yankees, who ranked sixth in tho Al.last Colbert never' caught Player. Neither did anyone else.

Gary Player is so proud, it sticks out all uver him. He's proud of his ability, his complishments and the fact that Bob Foley Htfleman, he really is so niuch bette nan so other bie men. 'Toy Cannon' Gets Revenge Nfcll IIKKSHBEKG UPI Sports Writer "I keep reading in the papers I'm 5-fl and 160," he said, swimming in the Masters' traditional green jacket which looked as if it belonged to Jack Nicklaus. "I'm 5-6 and 150." Race Fans: A Hare Breed "No, it n'l, where Race fans are an unusual breed. Get a calling fro "Church Hill." Jimmy Wynn, nicknamed the "Toy Cannon," peppered the Houston Astros with long range volleys Sunday after unloading repeated verbal blasts at the club's management during the off-seasun.

Wynn. traded from Houston Id tho Los Angeles Dodgers for Claude Osteon, blasted a solo home run Sunday to highlight a 15-hit attack as (he Dodgers downed Houston 7-2. Celtics Win Opener Easily, But History Favors Knicks "Well, that's not too good, because (he wind's coming from that direction and the rain should be here at the race track in a few "That's all right, we'll come anyway. When it sees y'all are going to have a' race, maybe il won'l rain on the track." THE VIIONE KINGS. "Can you loll me what time the race will gel over?" "No, I can't." "Why nol?" "Hecause we don't know how many wrecks or caution flags there'll be." "Yea, I never thought of it like thai.

Makes sense, doesn't It?" i bunch ot them together and you II heat anything. They're in a world of their own. They talk their own lingo and Tor the uninitial- ert, he doesn't stand a chance of tinders tanding what's going on. Having spent considerable time around racing people. I like to think 1 know what's SonK on, lo a certain extent.

ISut thinking back, here are a few of the more amusing things I've heard. THK PIIONt: RINGS. "Hey, what's Ihe station on the race tonight?" "What's the station on the race tonight?" I asked, "What do von mean what's the station on the race tonight?" 5 "Just what I said. Are you. going to run the race?" What he meant to say was, what's the situation on the race tonight.

THE PHONE RINGS. "Hey. what's the permission to gel into the race track," asked he adult mate voice. "What do you mean, what's the permls- sion lo get into the race," 1 asked incredulously. "You know, the permission, what does it cost?" (I should have told him to ask his 't mother.) THK PHONE RINGS.

"It looks like can. If I wanted to live in the past, 1 could say, 'well, I was on six championship "hesaid. i' Celtics Coach Tom Hcin-sohn credited the victory to his team's tough defense. "When you're plaving off your man, he's got'a belter chanceofscaringthanwhch aguyisin hisjersey trial's -what we were doing." Hoin-sohn said. "Now, we gotta go -out and do the same thing Tuesday." Prep Baseball Schedule THK l'HONF.

KINGS. "Can you tell me who ii Ihe "No. I can't." "I'm going to try 200 per cent against Houston tins season," Wynn said. "I'd rather hit one against this team Houston) than against any other team. You always try to beal the team that trades you." Wynn went hilless the first two games of this scries but rifled a home run and a triple and scored three runs in Sundav's victory.

Cesar CedenD climbed the left-center field wall at the 390-foot mark to rob Wynn of another extra-base hit. "My whole family was here for this game," Wynn added. "1 just decided to slop trying and impress people today and play relaxed. You have to be relaxed to do anything." The S-foot-9 outfielder, who baited a disappointing .220 with Houston lasl season, has set rather high standards for Uis first season in a I.os Angeles uniform. "I'm going to hit between 30 and 35 homers, drive in 100 runs and steal between 35 and 40 Wynn predicted.

Wynn, who has assumed the role of team leader on this young Dodger club, entered this season with 223 career home runs, His home rim Sunday has lo be one of the most satisfying he has ever hit. In other National League games Sar. Diego topped San Francisco, 6-5, Philadelphia swept a double header from the Mots, 2-1 in 11 innings and 5-3, and Pittsburgh won 8-4 before bowing to St. Ixiuis 6-5. Cincinnati at Atlanta and Montreal at Chicago were rained out.

Phils 2-5, Mats 13 Mike Anderson's two-out double scored two runs and climaxed a three-run ninth inning Philadelphia rally which brought the Phillies their victory over the Mets after Bill Robinson's 11th inning suicide squeeze bunt gave them a win in the opener, Padres 6, Giants 5 Bobby Tolan doubled In Clarence Gaston from first with Ihe tie-breaking run in the eighth Inning lo cap a five-run San Diego rally. The game was delayed nearly a half hour after a swarm of bees congregated near home plate. A local exterminator was called and the game continued despite frequent reunions by the Intruders throughout the contest, BOSTON (UPI) The pressure will be on the Knicks Tuesday when they meet the Boslon Celtics In the second game of their National Basketball Association Eastern Conference playoff if it's worth anything, history is on New York's side; The Celtics slugged the Knicks wilh a high pressure defense Sunday to win the first of the best-of-seven series 113-88 in' a virtual replay of-the last year playoff opener. The Knicks, however, nearly ran the Celtics out of New York in he second game of the series last year, then went on lo take their, second NBA championship In four years. If they are to repeat, the" New Yorkers will have to revive some very cold sh doling arms.

The Knicks shot a miserable 33 per cent Sunday while the Celtics hit at a 51.8 per cent clip. Boston' had tho game all but wrapped up nij'dway' through the third period behind Ihe shooting and' passing of John Havlicok and Jo Jo While. Havlicck had 25 points and 12 assists, many of them to While, who wound up with 22. Walt. Frazier led the sluggish Knicks with 22.

TheCelticsremembcrlast i year's playoff failure but are confident that history won't -repeat itself. "The same thing hap-pened lasl year. We're well aware of what happened in the second game. I'm prett-sure we won't let it happen again," said Dave Cowens, who was the game's, high rebounder-wilh 13 despite leaving midway through the-third period with five fouls. "I thinkw'e'r'ebctterthan were last year and the Knicks have been hurting without Willis.

(Reed). But (hey strengthened themselves this year by playing guys like (Henry) Bibby, and (John) Gianelli." said Havlicek. The Celtic captain, however, dismissed the possible influence of last year's playoffs on this year's teams. "1 listen to thai stuff. I'm simple-minded.

1 just go out there and play as long as I can and as hard as I "Why not?" "Because the race isn't over yet." 'LWell 1 called up there this time lasl week and the race was over. Did you get started late?" "No ma'am." I'll call back. What time should I call?" OF COURSE, the two classics concerned the gas crisis when Daytona announced it was shortening the 500 to 450 miles. Fans svan ted to know what 50 miles would be lopped off. "If you cut oFF the first 50 miles, that's bad, because that's when all Ihe good wrecks happen," voiced one fan.

"If you etil off the last 50 miles, wo won't know who w'o'n," said another partisan. I'd like to make this longer, but I'm gclllnc hungry. I'll have to run out lo the 'cession stand, Oh, that's race-track talk for eon-cession stand. "1 af Sorno "Sure rinoc 1 cnirt it Virn.k I.MlM Of Jm TlMn, AtH OKrtj.6.nFttl what happens if it rains?" all-get wet." 4 here Is ii raining up thrt7" dowtl JMinum CitTol Mofi'own Lai WlMVVMK jl CBX)JBM Cmouni at PowHJ vol'iy.