The Buffalo News from Buffalo, New York • 14

JA 4rf page 2 The Buffalo NewsSaturday July 11 1987 Sports Saturday 5 if Knoxes Buy New Station Would Sabres ollow? ARE THE conservative Knox brothers ready to take a gamble on a new Buffalo television channel? The answer could determine the future television plans of the Buffalo Sabres The owners of the Buffalo Sabres responded riday to a rumor that they have been approached by the owners of WNYB TV Channel 49 about buying the independent station The station is expected to go on the air in early September Seymour Knox III the Sabres chairman of the board said through a spokesman "Yes they ap proached us as they have others and the matter is under The prospective sale of Channel 49 by TVX Corp a Virginia firm to a Rochester group for $48 million recently fell through impossible to judge how interested the Sabres are in making a deal but the approach by TVX creates an interesting scenario If the Knox brothers were to buy Channel 49 they could eventually move the television package to the station That possibility would appear to be remote for this season The Sabres are close to concluding their TV negotiations Channel 2 has the right of first refusal to match an expected offer from Channel 7 As a rule it would be a high risk to operate a second independent station in a market the size of Buffalo The first Channel 29 has a huge head start But if the Knoxes were to put some of the games on their own Channel 49 they would be buying instant credibility and have a quicker route to parity with Channel 29 The Sabres have been the only US team in the National Hockey League with a television contract with a network affiliate which makes the Knoxes proud One of the reasons Channel interest in the Sabres has declined is because the station has to pre empt popular NBC series each time it carries a Sabres game One of the reasons Channel 7 has renewed interest in the Sabres is because it is affiliated with ABC which is experiencing severe ratings problems If the Sabres games were to eventually land on an independent station viewer complaints about network pre emptions would disappear Sports On the AirBLAN PERGAMENT If you would miss the opportunity to play Monday evening quarterback with Larry elser this season better send a message to WBEN AM President Larry Levite Levite said he decided yet whether to renew show Last season WBEN hired The Buffalo News sports editor to conduct a call in show at 8 pm after the show ended WBEN Sports Director John Mur phy was the host of the show did an excellent job but trying to see where we can cut said Levite whose con tract to cover the Buffalo Bills is very expensive If show is sacked Levite have to fill the entire hour from 8 9 pm He said CBS Radio which took the Monday Night ootball rights away from NBC Radio is planning a longer pregame show than NBC CBS may go 20 minutes 15 minutes longer than NBC Invite said if Monday Quarterback retained Murphy may have weekly guests participate in a phone in show Wes Goforth Channel No 2 sportscaster behind Ed Kilgore finally has signed a new contract He had been working without one for 14 months He declined to reveal any details but said Tm happy that it came to a conclusion and I have a good solid show every Goforth is the nightly sports anchor on the 6 pm news and also is contributing pieces to Danny Neav "Nearly show something I really wanted to Goforth said of his "Nearly appearances have more time for reporting in my average day and to go out and meet people on stories rather than just sitting at an anchor desk all Note to AdelphiaIntemational which plans to raise its basic rate on Oct 1: Right now sports fans in this area with cable are much better off if they live in the city because TCI of Buffalo carries supersta tions WPIX TV and WSBK TV If AdelphiaInternation al wanted to make sports fans happy it should have returned those expensive superstations to its lineup Greg Papa the Buffalo native and brother of former Channel 2 sportscaster Gary Papa is in some pretty famous company Papa will do the commentary with Billie Jean King for toped coverage of Domi Team Tennis a King production that will make its debut next Saturday Papa received some rave notices in San rancisco this season for his work as voice of the Golden State Warriors Things going quite so well for Jim Lampley the ABC sportscaster He resigned abruptly this week after a feud with ABC Sports President Dennis Swanson over his role in next Winter Olympics Lampley is doing a radio show at the new WAN AM in New York and is talking with NBC Lampley was a solid knowledgeable sportscaster with a flair for the offbeat Swanson has seen two members of ABCs young homegrown talent leave the network within the last year Tim Brant left to join CBS last January Warning: coverage of All Star game could have some glitches because of a techni strike at the network NBC is hoping to avoid a replay of Saturday's game when two of its five cameras went out briefly and caused the network to look amateurish Vin Scully will do play by play and Joe Garagiola will do analysis of the game Marv Albert and Bob Costas will be the pregame hosts Most of the pregame is expected to include an Albert inter view with former Los Angeles vice president Al Cam panis who lost his job in April after making some racist statements on ABC's Dan Dierdorf biggest hire of the season will make his debut at noon Aug 8 as ABC newest pro football announcer He will join his new Monday Night ootball teammates Al Michaels and rank Gifford for the Hall of ame game between the San rancisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs NBC which lost Bob Griese to ABC in the offseason has signed former Denver linebacker Tom Jackson and former Oakland and Houston tight end Dave Casper to become football analysts Buffalo fans who aren high on priority list probably will get to see their fair share of them in their rookie seasons Kevin Keenan WBEN AM news anchor also is' a weekend sports anchor at WOKR TV in Rochester an ABC affiliate A St Bonaventure graduate Keenan once did high school basketball play by play and foot ball color at WHDL radio in Olean He is the anchor for the sports report on show and has worked on the Bills pregame show Keenan said contacts made while he worked at WHAM AM in Rochester from 1983 84 helped him be come aware of the TV job auditioned in December but they call me 1 for the job until said Keenan inally remember Anne Simon? The former Chan 1 nel 7 sportscaster who went on to work for ABC and "Entertainment has resurfaced on the Madi son Square Garden Network in New York City She is a trackside reporter for the cable live riday night harness racing coverage in July She premiered riday night doing interviews with trainers and ridersit A MSG spokesman said a possibility Simon will be doing more work for the network WYii' wHHE Uli ywtji A' Associated Press Happy days are not here for Darryl Strawberry and the New York Mets Weekend Things to Do Chance to Move Up The Buffalo Bisons have made up a lot of ground on the American Association leaders in recent weeks urther advances are possible this weekend against the Nashville Sounds who will be in War Memorial Stadium for games tonight at 7:30 and Sunday at 2:05 pm Because this is the final season the Bisons will play in War Memorial Stadium the team is bringing in some of the top athletes who compet ed in the Rockpile for a ceremony at 7 tonight Among those taking part will be former Bills quarterback George Ratterman and former Bi sons erguson Jenkins Ron Swoboda and Ed Kranepool The Sounds have given the Bisons trouble this season and pitching is the primary reason Nashville has four of the top 10 pitchers In the league which it leads in team ERA Monday the first place Indianapolis Indians will open a four game series against the Bisons in War Memorial at 7:30 pm Kicking off the series will be a celebrity pitch hit and run contest Staff members from radio and television stations and newspapers will take part The local Pitch Hit and Run competition for boys and girls 8 13 will start Tuesday at Stiglmeier Park in Cheektowaga and run through July 25 Break Time The Toronto Blue Jays close the first half of this season against the Kansas City Royals in a four game series that wraps up with single games today and Sunday at 1:30 in Exhibition Stadium Both teams are in the hunt in their respective divisions although an eight game losing streak has dropped the Jays several notches below the Yankees in the American League East Pitching has put the Royals near the top of the American League West The top winner this season is Kansas City right hander Bret Saberhagen He is scheduled to try for his 15th victory today Things to View Days of Whine The residue of the New York success has been fermenting this season into a case of Strawberry Whine which is leaving a bad taste in the mouth Complaints about lack of playing time and the time off taken by right fielder Darryl Strawberry are hampering the efforts to catch the streaking St Louis Cardinals in the National League East Also in the way this weekend are the Houston Astros who are battling for first in the National League West The teams will meet in the NBC Game of the Week today (1:30 pm Ch 2) and conclude the series Sunday (2:30 pm WWOR) Other series scheduled include Philadelphia at Atlanta tonight (7:35 ATL) and Sunday (2:05 pm ATL) and Boston at Seattle today (10 pm BOS) and Sunday (4:30 pm BOS) Some of the players will be headed for a rest But the better players will take off for Oakland to play in the All Star Game which will be Tuesday (8:15 pm Chs 2 9) Mike Scott of the Houston Astros will start for the National League squad Among the all star pitchers are two who are making comebacks Rick Sutcliffe of the Chicago Cubs and Bret Saberhagen of Kansas City The top home run hitter in the major leagues Mark McGwire will be on his home field and will be joined by such sluggers as George Bell of Toronto and Dave Winfield of the New York Yankees Among National League stars are Eric Davis of Cincinattl Jack Clark of St Louis Andre Dawson of Chicago and Mike Schmidt of Philadelphia The stars will be saluted Monday (10 pm ESPN) Dying Breed Tennis tournaments on clay are going the way of the black and white television in the USA these days The US Pro Tennis Championships one of the survivors of the slow court purge concludes this weekend at the Longwood Cricket Club in Brookline Mass The semifinals will be shown today with the final Sunday (1:30 pm both days ESPN) To the ore If you can get Canadian television stations you have your pick of golf tournaments this weekend The last two rounds of the du Maurier Classic" the third of four majors on the LPGA tour will be carried today and Sunday (4 pm both days Ch 9) The four round tournament will be played on the par 72 6371 yard Le Club de Golf Islesmere at Laval Quebec The $600000 PGA Anheuser Busch Classic from Williamsburg Va will be shown at 4:30 pm today and conclude at 2:30 pm Sunday (Ch 2) Best of the Rest The 75th Calgary Stampede will be Sunday (8 pm Ch 5) The British Grand Prix auto race is Sunday (2 pm Ch 5) The I Love New York Grand Prix horse jumping competition is Sunday (Noon ESPN) LETCHER DOYLE TV Times Network SATURDAY 1:30 PM 0 Baleball: New York Meti at Houston Astros 2 PM Women'i Tennis: Sunlife National Tournament final round from Ontario Racquet Club in Mississauga Ont 4 PM Wide World Of Sports: LPGA du Maurier Classic Golf from Le Club de Golf Islesmere in Laval Quo 4:30 PM 0 PGA Golf: Anheuser Busch Classic third round from Kingsmill Golf Club in Williamsburg Va 4:30 PM Wide World Of Sports: Meldrick Taylor (15 0 1 8 KOs) vs Cubanito Perez (34 2 0 25 KOs) in a junior welterweight bout scheduled for 10 rounds from Atlantic City NJ US vs China in men's volleyball from Irvine Calif 8 CL ootball: Toronto at Ottawa SUNDAY 2 PM Sportsweekend: Calgary Stampede Rodeo pre liminary competitions from Calgary Alberta ormula One British Grand Prix auto race from Silverstone England 2:30 PM 0 PGA Golf: Anheuser Busch Classic final round 4 PM Sports Sunday: Duane Thomas vs Lupe Aquino for the WBC junior middleweight title scheduled for 12 rounds from Bordeaux rance Tour de rance bicycle race 4 PM Women's Golf: LPGA du Maurier Classic final round 4 PM (IT) CL ootball: Hamilton at Edmonton 8 PM Sportsweekend: Colgary Stampede Rodeo final competitions from Calgary Alberta SATURDAY Cable 1:30 PM LESEhLl Tennis: US Pro Championships semi finals from the Longwood Cricket Club in Brookline Mass 5 PM E5EMJ Horse Racing: Michigan Mile from Detroit 7:35 PM LAIkJ Baseball: Philadelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves 9 PM LE5ENJ Arena ootball: Pittsburgh Gladiators at Denver Dynamite 10 PM LBOSJ Baseball: Boston Red Sox at Seattle Mari ners SUNDAY 1:30 PM iS ENJ Tennis: US Pro Championships title match from the Longwood Cricket Club in Brookline Mass 2:05 PM lAIkJ Baseball: Philadelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves 2:30 PM I WOR I Baseball: New York Mets at Houston Astros 4 30 PM CSOU Baseball: Boston Red Sox at Seattle Mariners MONDAY 10 PM I ESPNI Baseball's All Star Salute: rom Oakland Coliseum Are More Perfect Than Others Some Days Picks EVERY ONCE IN a while the Happy Handicapper will run into somebody at the track who says something like "Hey I see you had a perfect day or followed your selections in the paper last week and I lost all my Or perhaps stink! How can you pick some of those horses that you pick? Do you just close your eyes and Gratified as he is that readers are taking an interest in his work the HH wishes that sometimes the public pay such close attention to every piddling little detail Especially when it involves going 0 for 10 or 0 for 11 which alas has been done But today just to show that he does not grab his selections out of thin air the Handicapper is going to try to explain the reasons behind his selections So if going to ort Erie this afternoon you might want to take the paper along for guidance Also be sure to take along 50 cents for the Peace Bridge so you will at least be able to afford to get home irst Race: VIOLET second place finish last week merits the top speed rating in this bunch of $2500 fillies who have not won this year TRY SMILING with Jimmy Stondring aboard just missed as lukewarm favorite in a similar event (Standring is second leading jockey with 37 wins in 202 races) MILITARY IRE won four times last year and now is making just her second start of She is what is known as a Second Race: The old adage says to separate young maidens just look for the best speed at the distance Here PORTA NIGRA also with Stondring But jockey Brian Clair is switching from that one to QUEEN STONE who is tripping down from Wood bine as is KEEP YOUR COOL a tough race but Queen of June 8 workout of 5 furlongs in 1:01 45 shows she might be something a little above aver age Third Race: Ugh Here are the cheapest maiden fillies going 8 furlongs To further confuse things a typographical error in the Daily Racing orm that makes it look like many of these horses were all claimed from the first race June 20 No way Who would claim horses like these? SWAMP LADY (0 for 14) PET (0 for 15) and SONG (0 for 20) are the only ones ever to finish in the money at the distance The first one is switching to leading jockey Sid enech (Going into the weekend enech has 50 wins in 253 starts) The second should benefit from a switch to Mike Dunlop Still this is a sad group of horses and a good race during which to have lunch ourth Race: A sprint for $2500 animals who won more than once in the past two seasons PRICELESS BOY keeps coming close despite draw ing far out post positions got the two hole today with Linda ields aboard and maybe could do it MUL MUR HILLS the highweight here gets apprentice Steve Bahen to save five pounds and might have a shot BUCKSHU GORD always gets out fast and could be a possibility despite the No 9 post 1 The Happy WU By ROBERT SUMMERS ifth Race: It takes a special blend of speed and stamina to win at 6 furlongs the longest one turn distance at the ort If you can find which horse has that combination in this trifecta race you might get rich COMET showed speed at the end of 5 furlongs last week and might appreciate the extra yardage TUSTLES LAKE an 11 year old making his 119th start won twice at the distance last year but both were on off tracks Lynn Capi claimed BREAK THE SEAL for some reason back on May 23 It was the third time the popular son of Sauce Boat has been claimed since last September Somebody must see something in this grandson of Kentucky Derby winner Dark Star Sixth Race: Now things get interesting Non winners in priced at $3200 STALLMAN just missed last week in a finish you could throw a bikini over rank Merrill ships SPANISH STYLE to the ort after six disappointments at Woodbine Check out his June 12 race: 6 furlongs in 1:12 45 Nobody else in here can run like that Except maybe KY BUCKEYE who beat that time at Beulah Park and River Downs and GREEN KEY who is making his first start of the year Seventh Race: illies who have not won thrice life time are in here racing 8 furlongs for a $2000 claim ing price ALARICE (2 for 16) fits the conditions and earned the biggest speed number in her pulllng away victory on the ourth of July AMARETTA (2 for 29) looks awful on paper until you read between the lines picking up enech dropping in class and maybe might like to go long on the dirt CURIOUS DEB came on strong in her last race after shipping over from inger Lakes She deserves another chance Eighth Race: The touch of class an allowance race on the turf STORM ON THE RISE with enech makes his turf debut after blowing a 6 length lead on the dirt last time out got a good turf workout and has drawn the rail Maybe the jockey can hold him together this time NORTH SEA KING came down from Woodbine and posted two sharp workouts at ort Erie: 5 furlongs in 1:01 on July 1 and 6 furlongs at 1 :13 25 on July 6 drawn the third post and has jockey Brian Clair Only problem is never won in six starts on the turf Trainer Nick Gonzalez claimed SOLO SON for $12500 and is trying the 3 year old out on the green stuff after running second in a dirt allowance race Maybe he sees something here If you saw Henry at Shakespeare in the Park you might want to throw a few crowns at AT AGINCOURT a son of His Majesty won two of eight races but this is his first grass start But if it rains and the race gets switched to the dirt ask him to beat Storm On the Rise or Agent ORECASTED who broke his maiden on the grass is the best best of Linda Duffy the chartcaller and selector of the Daily Racing orm He also is being ridden by Dale Hemsley who continues as third leading rider despite a head injury which has kept him out for several weeks Ninth Race: The late double starts with a turf race for claiming maidens Who can tell from anything' here? Only BLU and SINISTER MORN show any turf experience The first best race is an eighth place finish by 25 lengths The is also an eighth by 11 Class on the grass? Only BLU and SINISTER MORN have raced in non claimers 1 A lightly raced horse with good breeding a good post position and a tendency to come from behind? Hmmm That could be PRIDE If only you could pick them all Tenth Race: You wonder why trifectas are so hard? a whole gang of sprinters who have never won more than once Logic says to look for animals who had very many starts and who have raced or worked out recently That leaves us with THE LADY IS NEAT who is 1 for 7 and Ls making her third start of the year BOUNC ING SHELLIE who is making a huge class drop after being in the money three of seven times last year and DONNA IN A who won big at the distance against maidens Eleventh The simulcast of the Michigan Mile One Eighth) might interest some of the more serious horseplayers But stand in front of the gate while this is on the tube You might get trampled by the: people racing to the parking lot ort Erie fans shown many times that much rather watch live' races for cheap ciaimers than televised races of expen sive stakes winners Anyway PURPLE MOUNTAIN who almost beat Groovy at inger Lakes last week Ls in here along with stablemate El Basco in what looks like an unlikely spot There is no reason to believe Purple Mountain can go 9 furlongs also little reason to bet him' unless you think that improving sharply and really not much other early speed in the race and looking for a long shot If Purple Mountain can jump to a quick lead avoid getting cooked by Massachusetts Handicap winner WA QUOIT and stay away from the always tough TRIAL maybe he could steal the $250000 race If he does remember where you hoard it first Things to Do Things to View.