The Gaffney Ledger from Gaffney, South Carolina • Page 17

Page 15 The Gaffiiey Monday, May 20, 1995 Talkin Sports Former GHS and Gamecock great Ed Clary will observe 80th birthday Tuesday convene representatives) of the NBA, a NCAA and the High School Coaches Association to discuss the situation. Players hoping to leap directly from Liji school to the pros are Kobe Bryant cf. Ardmore, Pa, and two players from the stale" of South Carolina; Jermaine O'Neal of Columbia and Taj McDavid of Pahtietio They hope to follow the path of Kevin Garnett of MaulcHn, who recently completed his rookie season with the Minnesota Timberwolves. V.V-f'V. The main principle is being overlooked and that is education first The NBA is a busineg and these players are entering very foreign territory.

How in the world can they understand the structure of a contract when they can't pass the SAT? Sure, their agent can explain the contract to them, but will they understand? Plus there's the fact they may en NBA roster. The NBA needs to seriously sit down at the round table and put an end to this type of immigration. should pay attention to. No, Rodman wasn't verbally attacking referees or opposing players. Nor did he criticize front office personnel or the media The NBA will deteriorate in four to five years." That's a BOLD statement coming from a BOLD person, but it hits the nail on the head for me.

Why will the NBA deteriorate? It may take longer than the time frame Rodman is allowing, but if the NBA doesn't cut off this flow of unproven high school players and college underclassmen into the league, that's just where it will find itself. In a deteriorated stage. Young people in this world are already gaining power and are growing up too fast Way too fast; WITH NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. But Alex English, former South Carolina star and acting executive director of the NBA Players Association, said he is very disturbed by the latest trend of high school players and underclassmen entering the upcoming June draft. English said the union will attempt to LARRY B.

LITTLEJOHN Ledger v. No experience necessary While many people can't make any sense of Dennis Rodman the bizzare, I can totally agree with Dennis Rodman the basketball player. While recently reading an article on Rodman this past weekend, he made a statement that I think the National Basketball Association We need Copies now edges Barnhill Productions, 3-2 to imply education first in the our young people. Babe Ruth League Standings through May 17 JM Brown Amusement i4-0 First Piedmont Federal 3-0 Moss Mini Mart 2-1 Iron City Construction 2-1 Astros 2-2 Wendell FabricsTWeaveTec 1-1 Copies Now 2-3 Barnhill Productions 1 -4 Hamrick Mills 0-51' Sports Staff Babe Ruth League hits for Barnhill Productions. Shannon Littlejohn and Frankie Barnhill als hit safely for Barnhill Productions.

In the other game on Friday, Astros blasted Hamrick Mills, 12-4. David Gossett and Brian Ivey combined for the win. Rob Huckaby paced the Dixie Youth Minor League Alexander had the key hits for Army-Navy 1 7, Benton Tire 3 Pail Littlejohn homered, while Chris Batchler drove in two runs By LARRY HILLIARD Ledger Sports Editor Jimmy Turner picked up the win and helped his own cause with a pair of hits as Copies Now nipped Barnhill Productions, 3-2 in Babe Ruth League action on Friday. Mike Stratford and Phillip Huffstetler had hits for the winners. Robbie Strain, Brandon Ivey and Justin Martin each had two Asheville, Clary returned a blocked punt for a touchdown.

He also kept Asheville pinned deep in its own territory, including one punt that landed on the Asheville 4-yard line. He gained wider fame as a member of both the University of South Carolina baseball and football teams. He captained the 1938-39 Gamecock baseball teams. He lettered on both the freshman baseball and football teams and lettered as a member of the varsity teams for three more years. Clary, who played fullback and punted, was an All-Southern selection his senior year and was the first Gamecock picked to play in the Blue Gray all-star football game in 1938.

But college didn't mark the end of his sports career. He was drafted professionally in both sports. Art Rooney drafted him to play football for the Pittsburgh Steelers, while the Brooklyn Dodgers took him in the baseball amateur draft He played two years in the Dodgers farm system. After his playing days were over, Clary stayed involved in" sports as a high school and Southern Conference official for 25 years. He served in the U.S.

Navy in World War II and as an employee of the U.S. Postal Service for 30 years. He has three children: Chip, Kitty Clary Goding and Shelley Clary Ray. He has nine grandchildren and one great-grand child. By LARRY HLUARD Ledger Sports Editor Gaffhey's record-setting kicker is approaching another milestone his 80th birthday.

Ed Clary will celebrate the occasion with family and friends on Tuesday. As the party invitations say: 80 years ago, he was kicking in the 58 years ago, he was kicking for 52 years ago, he was kicking the Now he's kicking up his Clary was a member of Gaffhey High's 1934 state championship team. His exploits prompted one sports writer to write of Gaffhey's 21-7 victory over Forest City: "The longest gain was a pass from Ed Clary to 'Snag Clary netting 40 yards. Ed Clary dropped-kick the point after." In the Indians' 27-6 win over Columbia, a sports writer wrote: "In Ed Clary, Gaffhey presented a youngster who could do about everything one could expect of a first class triple threat man. His rushing was good, his blocking of the first order and his kicking the best on the field." Jake "Wade or lne'Cnarloife Observer wrote: "Take that boy Ed Clary.

He weighs 185 pounds and is built ideal for fullback. He breaks the line with the ferocity of a mad bull. He runs around end like he was late for dinner, and he kicks the ball high and wide. As a matter of fact, he kicked one plum into Cleveland County. He did kick one 70 yards in the air." In Gaffhey's 6-0 victory over Welding nips Gordon's; Army-Navy rips Benton Tire? Kyle Parker combined for UK sinxeouis as o.u.

rarm Bureau defeated First Piedmont 9-2. Mack LeCroy and Cameron -Miller had key hits for S.C. Farm. V) Parker, struck outthe. final inning.

ivv lit- 4 i Peachtree Ford downs Sisk Chiropractic; i First Piedmont Federal blasts Stuckey's Show That Graduate You Really Are minds of winners with three hits, while Stephen Scruggs and Jasteven Tate each had a pair of hits. John Weatherford had a double and Terrance Dukes added a triple for Astros. Michael Robertson also had a hit for the winners. Justin Carnes had two hits, while Mike Wilkie, Chris Humphries and David Wilburn each had a hit for Hamrick Mills. to lead Army-Navy to a 17-2 win nn Chris Beaver and Andy Miller scored two runs for Army-Navy.

Justin Orr and Patrick Hopper combined for the win. S. C. Farm 9, FPF 2 Jesup Dillenger, Ben Dollar and 5th 1996. By LARRY B.

LfTTLEJOHN Ledger Sports Staff Travis Raines struck out 13 as Welding held on to defeat Gordon's Funeral Home, 9-8, in Dixie Youth Minor League action orFriday. Raines, John Hughes and Drew Waltrip stuns all-star field By JOE MACENKA AP Sports Writer CONCORD, N.C. Michael Waltrip has heard the whispers all these years, and he knows hell still hear them. "I still ain't won a points race, have But I've got a cool trophy and a lot of money," a beaming Waltrip said Saturday night after he pulled off the biggest upset in the history of stock car racing's all-star event Waltrip charged from the final starting spot to win The Winston Select at Charlotte Motor Speedway, helping ease the frustration of going winless in 309 points races over 11-plus seasons on stock car's No. 1 series.

"I'm OK with that," Waltrip said. "Just because you're a better race car driver than somebody else, that doesn't make you a better person" The victory was worth $200,000, by far the biggest payday for Waltrip, 33, the younger brother of three-time Winston Cup champion Darrell Waltrip. "Darrell was in victory lane. He came and hugged me and said, 1 love you, the younger Waltrip said, doing his best imitation of a popular beer commercial. This is big.

This might be real big," said Darrell Waltrip, who won the inaugural Select in 1985. "He really deserves it, he beat the best in a shootout Michael Waltrip took the lead with nine laps remaining and pulled away to a 12 car-length victory over Rusty Wallace. Waltrip, who became the first Winston Select Open transfer to win the big show, was pulling away from the field at the conclusion of the 12th annual event. His official margin of victory over Wallace was 1.05 seconds. "I tell you what, Michael had me beat, no doubt about that," Wallace said.

1 got a second and I pulled away from the third-place car. The only thing I can say is he was awfully strong. The thing was really pulling away. He had us beat and he deserves it" By LARRY HILLIARD Ledger Sports Editor Alan Bryant got the win and Chris Edrington earned the save as Peachtree Ford downed Sisk's Chiropractic, 8-4 in area Dixie Youth League action on Friday. Bryant helped his own cause I with a pair of doubles, while lAlan Ruppe slammed an inside-Ithe-park home run.

Brian Motts, Josh Mabe and Richard Littlejohn also had hits the winners. In other action on Friday, Piedmont Federal beat 15-3 and Smith's iMarine nipped Flintstone iFlyers, 5-1. On Saturday, the blanked Hamrick First Piedmont Federal 1 5, Stuckey's 3 John Thomas Meyer got the win. Brandon Godfrey had a pair of doubles, while Matthew Benton and Ben Carnes each had a hit. 1 311 1 cr 1 By Putting Them In THE GAFFNEY LEDGER'S Graduation Section.

Dixie Youth Major League Meyer had three hits for the winners. Preston Spake had two hits, including a double and Mike Vinesett also had a pair of hits for First Piedmont Federal. Pirates 10, Hamrick Inc. 0 Jeremy Smith pitched a six-inning no-hitter. He also had three hits.

Eric Dobbins had a pair of hits, while Brad Bright had a hit and Andy Cobb doubled. Justin Ness also had a hit for the winners. Smith's Marine 5, Flintstone Flyers 1 Daniel Kirby tossed a no-hitter, striking out 13. Drew Wallace doubled and homered. Matt Davidson tripled and Josh Gilfillan doubled for the winners.

TOURNAMENT May31-June2 Cherokee Ford Complex, Gaffney Men's Classes 0 teams Entry Fee: $155 T-shirts to champions Contact Archel Mullinax at 864-487-4764 NSA OAFFNEY WOMEN'S NVTT ATONAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT May 31 -June 2 Cherokee Ford Complex, Gaffney All women's learns Entry Fee: $115 T-shirts to champions x-Contact Archel Mullinax at 884-487-4764 NSA 11th ANNUAL MEN'S 8UMMER CLASSIC SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT June 21-23 Cherokee Ford Complex, Gaffney Man's Classes CO, A Entry Fee: $115 T-shirts lo arxl a dozen sofdxUlsfc champions Contact Archel Mullinax at 864-487-4764 Softball Tournaments S.SAJk. SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT May 24-26. Clover. SC. Men's Open D.E and EE Entry Fee: f1 15 plus 25 sane, fee Contact Calvin Helton at 803-684-3681 or Darrell Nichols at 803-366-1722 S3.AA SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT May 24-28, Gaflney, SC.

Men's Open and EE Merfs Industrial CO, ft Women's Open Entry Fee: $1 1 5 plus $25 sane, fee Contact CeMn Herton at 803-684-3681 or Darrell Nichols at 803-368-1722 AAA. SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT May 24-26, Oemeon.S.C. Men's Open C.D.E and EE Men's Church C.D.E A EE Entry Fee: 11 15 plus 125 sane, fee Corned Steve Gravely at 8644784010 (w) or 884478-5860 (h) Ray BrakeMd at NBA OAFFNEY INVITATIONAL SOFTBALL Our Graduation Section Will Be Published June sB Sip-. THE GAFFNEY LEDGER CALL: 489-1131 For Rates And Deadlines. GafTney High School, Blacksburg High School and Heritage Christian School Will Be In This Special Section.