Progress Bulletin from Pomona, California • Page 41

Don Bradley Prograss Bulletin Staff Writer Jim Valone is La Verne's ace Beginning this evening. Jim Vallone will be walking in the footprints left by La Verne College giants. The slender wheelhorse of an uncertain staff. Vallone is the money pitcher coach Ben Hines is counting on to lead the Leopards to their second NAIA national championship, an event in which they have finished no worse than third in four previous appearances. So the slim (5-11.

170 pounds) lefthander will be following a path trod by Steve Barber (1969), Ben Ochoa (1972, the year the Leos won it all). John Verhoeven (1974 and Dan Quisenberry (1975). Physically Vallone bears little resemblance to his huskier predecessors. But he is exactly like them in one key aspect of his makeup. And it is.

perhaps, the most important of all. it has many different names. Heart, determination, courage, guts, mental attitude, etc. But what they all add up to is a will to Jim Vallone has that quality in abundance. never been drafted by a professional he confessed.

think the scouts are making a mistake because I think going to be able to pitch in the major leagues. lot of scouts have told me not big enough. But show 'em. They look for super fastball big guys. I've been lifting weights now for about 10 months and a lot quicker than I've ever been New zip on fastball Jim works out twice a week with light weights to strengthen his arms, legs and shoulders.

The added strength, combined with something he learned in summer ball in Grand Junction, has added new zip to his fastball. got me pushing off the fnound he explained. had never used my legs before. People don't realize how much harder rowing this year. giVing up fewer hits.

My earned run average is down (2.31) and my fastball is almost like an pitch now where it used to be just a setup pitch." new fastball combines with his curve, slider, haqgeup and screwball to give him baffling variety of pitches to offer a hitter. He also has one of the best pickoff moves seen in these parts. It is on the borderline of being illegal. But. despite protests from other coaches, he hasn't been called for a balk this year.

like to show he grinned. upsets the other coach and players They stand it. But picked off about 25 runners and have had only one base stolen on Vallone came to La Verne by way of Mt. San Antonio JC out of Glendora High He was 13-2 and Sierra League MVP in his senior vear of high school with a 1 02 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 89 innings. could have gone to he said I wanted to go to MSAC because I wanted to see if I could beat the guys I been playing with in high On the mound.

Jimmy is kind of a cross between the A1 Hrabosky, and Mark Fydrich. Puts on a show His movements are quick He strides off the mound, stands and psyches himself up in key situations. like to put on a little act," he admitted know sometimes games are boring I like to keep everybody, including my team, excited. So I run around out there and get my players screaming. They think kind of odd The fans like it and it helps me psychologically." Vallone views the NAIA national tournament with the same enthusiasm he approaches everything think we re going to win the world series, I really he exclaimed.

KNOW our pitching will hold up. throwing my best right now and so is Doug and (McGuire). I truly believe be in the championship game next But then Jimmy revealed another side of of his character. know. happy God gave me the chance to play he reflected, other day I noticed a guy in a wheelchair.

I thought to myself, I am worrying about baseball and a guy who even move around no matter what happens. I know one of the luckiest people in the world to be able to go out and play this game which is so much fun for me. play in the big leagues just for enough food to eat. God has given me the chance. lucky just to be Anyone who crosses the path of Jim Vallone is lucky.

Leos start quest of NAIA title By MIKE BROSSART PB Staff Writer ST JOSEPH. Mo La Verne College, bidding for its second national baseball title, opens its fifth appearance in the NAIA World Series tonight at 6 p.m. (PDT) against David Lipscomb College of Nashville, Tenn. The Leos were the first of the eight tourney teams to arrive here, but coach Ben Hines hopes his squad will be the last to leave St. Joseph, a city of 80,000 located 50 miles north of Kansas City.

Seven La Verne players who drove from California met the remainder of the 18-man playoff squad, as well as Hines and assistant coach Mark Halliburton, when they landed at Kansas City Airport late Wednesday afternoon. The double-elimination tournament is scheduled to end either Wednesday or Thursday of next week, depending on whether one or two games are necessary between the two finalists. Three Leos senior Steve Polan and juniors Tim Burzette and Bob Waldusky were named NAIA All- Americans at Thursday NAIA Hall of Fame banquet here. Third baseman Polan and catcher Burzette were named to the first team, and outfielder Waldusky to the second. Burzette was first-team All- American last year as a designated hitter.

Other Southern California players awarded All-American honors were Azusa Bob Murphy, Greg Jones and Tim Ainley. all first-team selections. Hines has taken his players through two rather muggy workouts, one Wednesday evening and the other Thursday afternoon. The high temperature both days was in the with humidity over 50 per cent The temperature range (highs in the lows in the mid-60's) is expected to remain about the same throughout the weekend, but local forecasters place the probability of rain this evening at 30 per cent. Rain has interrupted the tournament at some point in each of Hines' three previous trips to St Joe.

field looks a little rough right Hines said Thursday. the ground crew is working on it so I'm sure it will be in good shape by game time. forgotten just how big that park Hines continued, who was here with his team in 1969, 1974 and 1975. 400 feet to the power alleys. That could hurt us a bit, because we hit a lot of long fly balls." Testimony to that statement is La season total of 98 home runs.

the the same size for Hines concluded about Phil Welch Stadium. La first-round foe. David Lipscomb, brings a 43-11 record and the Area Five championship to the World Series. La Verne, 38-10, won the Area One title last week in Lewiston. Idaho.

The two teams have met twice before, both times in the 1972 World Series. La Verne won both those games, including the championship contest. Tonight's game between the Leos and David Bisons will follow the tourney-opening 3:30 p.m. (PDT) contest between Southeastern Oklahoma and Newberry of South Carolina, two teams making their first appearances in the nationals. (Please tarn to page 44, col.

5) 76ers keep on winning Cl 'thlnclads' return to action Berths in the California State CIF track field meet will go on the line tonight, as the Southern Sectional qualifying meet will be held at Cerritos College at Norwalk Events will get underway at 5 p.m., and local athletes will be very much a part of the scene. Valley high schools have qualified 15 athletes for the qualifying meet. The top three finishers at Cerritos tonight will advance to the State meet, set for June 4 at UCLA Drake Stadium Entries in the division tonight of local interest are Ricky Fairman in the shot put, Kelly Gordien and Tony Johnson in the high jump, Ralph Dixon and Pomona Lewis Cole in the triple jump and Floyd Eddings, in both the 100 and 220-yard dashes. In addition, Pomona High has qualified for the mile relay, while Ganesha will have a quartet in the 440 relay. In the girls division, locals to watch include Kari Gosswiller in the high jump, Veronica Bell in the long jump, Shelli Wooldridge in the two- mile run, Ontario's Debbie Kainz in the 440-yard dash.

Barney Sue Carral in both the 880 and 440, and Janet Ballard in both the 100 and 220. Top threats among the local entries in the division would appear to be Gordien in the high jump and Eddings in the sprints Gordien recorded a 6-8 leap in the 3A finals last week, and could well be capable of hitting that magic 7-foot mark tonight Santa Monica's Dennis Smith has the top mark in the high jump among the ten entries with a 74 effort. Eddings has recorded a 9 9 100 and 21 6 220 already this year Top mark in the nme-man 100 field is a 9 8. by Don Hill of Kennedy High in Barstow. Eddings man to beat in the 220 is James Sanford of Pasadena, who has run a 21 2 this year.

In the girls division, Gosswiller figures to be a major contender for the high jump title. Gosswiller has a 5-5 leap to her credit this spring, but is capable of reaching and surpassing the leader in the 16-girl field. Anne Erpenbeck of Huntington Beach Erpenbeck best is a 5-8 Kainz has the top mark in the 440 dash field with a 56 6 clocking Carral, with a 59 0 to her credit this year, could surprise in the same race. PHILADELPHIA (AP) They're playing defense, passing the ball, setting up the open the Philadelphia 76ers are doing their best to ruin their reputations. "People put us down all the said plavmaker Henry Bibby say we re a bunch of one-on-one players, we can't piay team ball, we execute our plays well, we can't do the job on defense.

keep saying we keep winning. Bibby was the sparkplug in Philadelphia's lopsided 10789 triumph over the Portland Trail Blazers Thursday night, a victory which gave the 76ers a 2-0 lead in the best- of-seven National Basketball Association championship series. The series resumes Sunday at Portland. Bibbv scored 15 points and handed out six assists in the first half, when the 76ers took an 18-point lead with a racehorse offense and shackling defense. Portland never was really in the game after being outseored 30-17 in the second period, and came no closer than 12 points in the second half.

The game was marred by a fourth-quarter melee which saw both squads engage in a free-for-all and about 100 spectators join in The main combatants were Darryl Dawkins of Philadelphia and Maurice Lucas of Portland, two of the heaviest of heavyweights, both of whom were ejects The only casualty was Philadelphia guard Doug Collins, who tried to act as peacemaker and got socked by Dawkins for his effort. The game itself was onesided, as Collins led the 76ers with 27 points and Julius Erving had 20 Philadelphia led 31-26 after the first quarter, then broke it open in the second period by hitting 13 of 24 shots while limiting lYirtland to just six of 27 It was 61-43 at the half and really no contest after that. As in the series opener, won by Philadelphia 107-101, the defensive discipline was a key factor The 76ers shut off fast break, then took away the Blazers' inside game, forcing them to take shots from the perimeter instead. And Portland is not a good perimeter shooting team "A lot of people think that were a bunch of renegades." said Erving. "They think that a good, well-drilled team can run us apart.

We are trying to prove them wrong. Is very singular in its offensive strategy. There is one basic play they like to run 75 per cent of the time they set up Walton in the pivot and then try to free their cutters for layups We know this, drilled against it and been able to stop it. forced them to do things they want to do. like shoot from outside Indeed, early in the first half, when the game still was up for grabs, Portland was able to get only one basket off its pet play of center Bill Walton feeding a cutter for a layup.

Bibby, who was scoreless in the second half but added five assists for a game-high 11. agreed that the 76ers' defense has been the big factor the series thus far (Please turn to page 44, col. I) James Harris unhappy LOS ANGELES (AP) James Harris say it, but chances are he prefer being traded by the Los Angeles Rams to a team where have a better chance of being the starting quarterback. Harris, one of the few black signai- callers in the National Football League, feels been treated unfairly by the Rams, and thinks he could lead them to the Super Bow if given the chance During the 1976 season, Harris lost his starting job to Pat Haden His future with the Rams is even more in doubt now with the recent highly publicized signing of Joe Namath. Harris, 29.

was one of three quarterbacks who started last season for the Rams. He began the year as No 1 but ended on the bench as the team lost in the playoffs to Minnesota for the second time in three years, never said I wanted to be said Harris Thursday. "That situation is in the hands of the Rams, as is my contract situation Harris has one year left on his contract with the Rams. reason I play involved something other than my Harris, refusing to elaborate but leaving the door open to a charge of racism. on my performance over the past three years.

I should have been benched. think Haden taking over as the No. I quarterback on the Rams was a management decision, not one made by (Coach) Chuck added Harris. feel I have been treated unfairly by the Rams over the past It has been speculated that owner Carroll Rosenbloom made the decision to demote Harris. Both Rosenbloom and Knox have denied that.

no question in my mind that the Rams have enough talent that I rmild quarterback them to the Super Bowl if I was given the full said Harris. "I haven had the opportunity the past two years. "I don think the quarterback position is the reason the Rams made it to the Super Bowl." Harris, who first took over as the starting quarterback in the middle of the 1974 season, was sidelined in late 1975 because of a shoulder injury. Last fall. Harris injured his right thumb during the pre-season.

He started five games during the year, the Rams winning three and losing two, before Haden became the firststring quarterback. The Rams have said that Harris enters the 1977 season as the No. 2 quarterback, ahead of Namath but behind Haden. Rams need three quarterbacks. last year proved said Harris only gripe I had with the signing of Namath was the fanfare and the wav they brought him in.

saying he could lead them to the Super Bowl. "All I want is a full Kings appoint Maguire G.M. IXXS ANGELES (AP) George Maguire is the new general manager of the Los Angeles Kings, succeeding Jake Milford, who resigned from the position Thursday night after a meeting with owner Jack Kent Cooke Milford. 60, served as the National Hockey League's general manager tor some three and one-half years. Maguire.

52, has been a member of the Kings' executive staff the past nine years. A statement issued by the Kings said Milford an executive position offered by the team on the grounds that he presently desires to move to a smaller city and pursue a different type of work, which may or may not be in Milford joined the Kings organization during the summer of 1973 He was appointed as general manager Dec. 1 of that year, succeeding Larry Regan. The Kings won a best-of-three series over the Atlanta Flames in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs following the 1977 season. Los Angeles then lost to Boston in the playoff quarterfinals, four games to two.

The past season was the fourth straight time the Kings had reached the post-season playoffs. Dodgers eagerly await Reds' invasion By BELL LANGLEY PB Sports Editor LOS ANGELES The Dodgers have the Reds just where they want them. The two National League West rivals begin a big three-game holiday weekend series at Dodger Stadium tonight with the home team threatening to practically end any suspense this season in a pennant race by Memorial Day. Los Angeles has the defending and fading world champions on the edge of the cliff just waiting to go over for the final count. A sweep of the weekend series or even taking two of the three games would just about signal the end is near for Cincinnati.

The Dodgers increased their wide lead in the West standings Thursday nigit by beating the Houston Astros, 4-3. in 10 innings moments after the Reds took a 6-5 loss against the Giants in San Francisco. As a result, the Dodgers now enjoy a huge 124-game edge over the second-place Reds for Los biggest lead ever. Thursday's win was the 32nd in 43 games this season as manager Tommy new spirit is paying out in victories. shoe is on the other foot says Dodger catcher Steve Yeager about plight of trying to play catch-up.

last couple of years been the ones playing catch-up game has already been listed as a complete sellout with the Dodgers advising fans not to show up unless they have tickets As of this morning, there still are reserved and general admission tickets available for Saturday (1:15 p.m.) game plus general admission only for contest. Tommy John (4-2) will be on the mound tonight against Pat Zachry (2-5). Don Sutton (6-1) fares Jack Billingham (5-3) Saturday with Rick Rhoden (7-1) meeting Fred Norman (3-2) on Sunday. Dusty Baker's sacrifice fly with one out in the bottom of the 10th provided the Dodgers with the victory Thursday in a contest when A. was blanked for eight innings after scoring three in the first.

The winning rally started when Ron Cey drew a walk from relief pitcher Ken Forsch to open the 10th After Steve Garvey struck out, Rick Monday singled to center to advance Cey to third with one out. With Baker coming up, Lasorda sent Lee Lacy to run for Cey and the move paid off when the faster Lacy sewed the winning run on Baker fly to rightfield know if it was deep Baker said. give Lacy some credit. He got a good start ami made a great slide. surprised they even pitched to me.

But when they did I choked up and was thinking right field all the way." The Dodgers had a golden opportunity to win it in the ninth but Forsch, who came in with the bases full and two outs, got Reggie Smith on an easy grounder to get out of the jam. Starter James Rodney Richard, who had held the Dodgers since walking three in the first inning, got into trouble in the ninth after easily retiring the first two batters. Pinch-hitter Boog Powell kept L.A. alive by drawing a walk. Davey Lopes followed with a single and Richard departed after walking Bill Russell on four pitches.

Richard issued walks to Lopes. Smith and Cey in the first inning. single brought in two runs and sacrifice fly accounted for the third. Dodger starter Burt Hooton had his only rough inning in the seventh. Up to that point, he had allowed only a single to Art Howe in the sixth.

But Houston came up with three runs in the seventh on a single by Jose Cruz, Cliff double, a walk to Joe Ferguson, a two-run single by Bob Watson and a run-producing hit by Enos Cabell. However, Hooton escaped additional damage by striking out Howe and Richard. Mike Garman picked up the victory in relief by holding the Astros in the top of the 10th. Photo by Associated Press A 'GRAND' SLAM Dr. J.

Julius Erving, goes through Bill Walton and Maurice Lucas (R) for powerful slam dunk. phia 76ers easily beat Trail Blazers, 107-89..