The Facts from Clute, Texas • Page 12

28 THE BRAZOSPORT FACTS Saturday, 22,1996 SPORTS Former athletes still hurt by Carter's 1980 boycott By Steve Wllateln Associated Press Every time Jimmy Carter is seen smiling or cheering on TV at the Atlanta Olympics, the athletes he once kept out of the Moscow games will wince with a private pain that 16 years have done nothing to diminish. "I feel disgusted that he would have anything to do with the Olympic movement after nearly single-handedly destroying the said Steve Scott, who had been a favorite for the gold in 1980. "For those of us directly touched by the boycott, it will not be forgotten or forgiven," said International Olympic Committee member Anita DeFrantz, a 1976 bronze medalist in rowing who hoped for a gold in Moscow. "Carter had no right to take the Olympics from us. We were absolutely, shamelessly, used as pawns.

I was glad the games went on. I was sorry that we were so stupid in this country." The former president, despite his many achievements as an international peacemaker, remains for many Olympians a symbol of political arrogance and intrusion in sports. Even athletes who might not have competed in Moscow felt their lives shattered by his decision. Some gave up running or swimming, or rowing, slipping out of sports altogether. "The psychological and emotional trauma was catastrophic for so many of us.

I saw marriages break up. You got to see the carnage, people's hopes and dreams completely fall apart," said Lynn Petronella, a world class long-distance runner who gave up competition because of the boycott. At one point, she worked as a waitress in a donut shop. She drifted from job to job, and regained a measure of triumph when she helped coach Joan Benoit to the marathon gold in the Soviet- boycotted 1984 games. "I've thought about the boycott a lot over the years," Petronella said.

"When that part of you as an athlete is stunted, thwarted or repressed, it leaves such a gaping hole in you that it's hard to find something else to equal it. The Olympics are something you do with your heart and your soul. And when the government comes in and they mess with that, I just don't think that's right. There were many times I felt like driving down to Plains, and saying, 'How dare you? How did you have the right to do Carter believed he had not only the right but the obligation to take action against the Soviets for an invasion of Afghanistan on Dec. 27, 1979 that, he said, violated the basic principles of the OLYMPICS Olympics.

At a White House reception in 1980, Carter tried to mollify U.S. athletes, assuring them as he shook their hands that someday they would understand why he called for a boycott. "Mr. President," swimming coach George Haines responded when it was his turn to shake hands, "I think you made a big mistake, and maybe someday you will understand that." Haines' impertinence got him ushered quickly past the president. To this day, Carter believes he did the right thing.

And many of the athletes and coaches he hurt feel just as strongly that he was wrong. "The decision was a very difficult one for me and for other political and sports leaders in America and in many other countries," Carter said in a statement recently. He declined to be interviewed or to elaborate on his still-strained relationship with Olympic officials. Atlanta organizers played down his presence to IOC members during the bidding campaign, not even listing him among prominent citizens. Official tours carefully veered around the Carter Center.

Carter seems to have taken the hint. He was scheduled to carry the Olympic torch as a "community hero" in Atlanta, but cited a "scheduling conflict" when he backed out. Yet he is expected to have a presence at the games in his home state, and that will no doubt revive memories of the boycott he orchestrated in 1980. His former spokesman, Jody Powell, argued that Carter "really had no choice" but to call for a boycott at a time when U.S.-Soviet relations in the Cold War had become particularly frosty. "You had the Soviets invading Afghanistan, and you had a situation in which the Soviet Union had made very clear that they saw the Olympics tremendous propaganda vehicle for them," Powell said from the Washington office of his public relations firm.

"For the United States not to take a leadership role in saying we're not going to be a part of that under these circumstances would have been a serious mistake." One of the unpublicized considerations when the idea of a boycott was first floated in January 1980, Powell said, was the start of covert aid by the United States in support of the Afghan rebels. "We were beginning a process which led to a fairly major program of assistance, and one in which we would be attempting to get others to join in with us," Powell said. "I would contend that, absent some clear public American leadership would have undermined almost before we got started. I'm not sure how you could have gone people to support the resistance if that was all you were doing while marched off to the Olympics and became part of the big show." The White House first proposed ing the Olympics to a neutral site, like; A' Athens, then pushed for an Olympics" to give athletes of the 62 boy-T cotting nations a chance to perform some-f where. "It's clear that (Carter) didn't under- stand what the games were, because if did he would know you couldn't just 1 'move them in six months, or even in 'year," DeFrantz said.

"It was a idea, and it was ridiculous to think a boycott would make the Soviets Afghanistan. What did it take, nine years?" Boycotts had struck the modern Olympics several times. In 1976, 24 African and Caribbean nations walked out on the eve of the Montreal games because the IOC refused to ban New Zealand over a rugby tour in South Africa. But the United States had always participated, even in front of Hitler in Berlin See CARTER, Page 3B SCOREBOARD BASKETBALL NBA Early Draft Entries The list released by the NBA of college underclassmen and high school players eligible to enter trie 1996 draft, held on June 26. Players were required to submit a letter to the NBA, postmarked no later than May 12.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim, 6-10, freshman, California Sunday Adebayo, 6-8, junior, Arkansas Ray Allen, 6-5, junior, Connecticut Kobe Bryant, 6-5, Lower Merlon HS, Ardmore, Pa. Marcus Camby, 6-11, junior, Massachusetts Erick Dampier, 6-11, junior. Mississippi State Randy Edney, 7-0, junior, Mount St. Mary's, Md. Eric Gingold.

7-4, junior, Williams College LaMarcus Golden, 6-4, junior, Tennessee Ronnie Henderson, 6-5, junior, LSU Zydrunas llgauskas, 7-2. Lithuania Allen Iverson, 6-1, sophomore, Georgetown Willie Jackson, 6-11, Lawson State CC Dontae' Jones. 6-7, junior, Mississippi State Chris Kingsbury, 6-5, junior, Iowa Carlos Knox, 6-1, junior, Indiana Priest Lauderdale, 7-2, Peristeri (Greece) Idris Lee, 6-2, junior. Mount Senario Randy Livingston, 6-4, sophomore, LSU Michael Lloyd, 6-2. junior, Syracuse Out Mayar Madut, 7-4, sophomore, Frank Phillips College Stephen Marbury, 6-2, freshman, Georgia Tech Richard Matienzo, 6-9, freshman, Miaml-Dade CC Taj McOavid, 6-6, Palmeto (S.C.) HS Jeff Mclnnis, 6-4, junior.

North Carolina Chris Nurse, 6-9, junior, Delaware State Jermalne O'Neal, 6-11, Eau Claire HS, Columbia, S.C. Jason Osborne. 6-8, junior, Louisville Track Continued from Page IB Jesse Pate, 6-4, junior, Arkansas Vltaly Potapenko, 6-10, junior, Wright State Etthimis Retzlas, 7-0, PAOK (Greece) Darnell Robinson, 6-11, junior, Arkansas Jess Settles, 6-7, junior, Iowa Greg Simpson, 6-1, junior, West Virginia Kevin Simpson, 6-4, sophomore, Dixie College Predrag Stojakovlc, 6-9, PAOK (Greece) Antoine Walker, 6-8, sophomore, Kentucky Samaki Walker, 6-8, sophomore, Louisville Lorenzen Wright, 6-11, sophomore, Memphis Atlanta (Maddux 6-5). 6:10 p.m. Cincinnati (Jarvis 1-1) at New York (Clark 6-6), 6:10 p.m.

St. Louis (Morgan 1-1) at Montreal (Urbina 4-0), 6:35 p.m. Houeton 8-4) at Lot (R.M«tliMi SI), p.m. Chicago (Campbell 2-0) at San Diego (Ashby 7-2), 9:05 p.m. American League EutMvMon BASEBALL National League EwtDMtion Atlanta Montreal Rorida New York Philadelphia Pet OB 45 26 .634 41 30.577 4 34 38.472 32 40 .444 13 30 40 .429 14 New York Baltimore Toronto Boston Detroit CtfitnM DMslofi Cleveland Chicago Milwaukee Minnesota Kansas City WMtMvMOfi Texas Seattle California Oakland Pet.

QB 41 28 .594 38 31.551 3 31 40 .437 11 29 41.414 12 19 54.260 24 Pet QB 46 26 .639 41 30 .577 4 34 36 .486 11 34 36 .486 11 31 42 .425 15 Cditral Nvfetofi Pet. OB Houston 37 37 St. Louis 35 35 .500 Chicago 34 38 .472 2 Pittsburgh 33 39 .458 3 Cincinnati 29 37 .439 4 WMt Division Pet. QB Los Angeles 39 34 .534 Colorado 36 34.514 San Francisco 36 34.514 San Diego 37 36.507 2 Thunday'i Chicago 3, San Oiego 2 Montreal 8, St. Louis 3 Cincinnati 5, New York 3 Houston 4, Los Angeles 2 Friday's New York 9, Cincinnati 4 Philadelphia 4, Colorado 3, 10 innings Atlanta 8.

San Francisco 7, 11 innings Florida 4, Pittsburgh 0 St. Louis at Montreal (n) Houston at Los Angeles (n) Chicago at San Diego (n) Today's Ownvs Colorado (Ritz 8-4) at Philadelphia (Mulholland 5-6), 3:05 p.m. Pittsburgh (Neagle 8-3) at Florida (A.Leiter 8-6), 6:05 p.m. San Francisco (Gardner 7-1) at Pet GB 43 28 .606 38 32 .543 4 38 33 .535 5 33 39 .458 10 Tminwtey'i Qamm Baltimore 3, Texas 2 Cleveland 5, Boston 4 Minnesota 7, Detroit 3 Seattle 8, Chicago 5 California 10, Milwaukee 3 Toronto 1, Oakland 0 Uto OMMS Not IncliMMd New York 8, Cleveland 7. 10 Innings, 1st game New York 9, Cleveland 3, 2nd game Detroit 2, Minnesota 0 Baltimore 9, Kansas City 3 Seattle 12, Chicago 2 California at Milwaukee (n) Boston at Texas (n) Toronto at Oakland (n) Today's New York (Rogers 5-3) at Cleveland (D.Martinez 8-4), 12:05 p.m.

Kansas City (Belcher 6-2) at Baltimore (Erlckson 3-5), 12:05 p.m. Minnesota (Aldred 3-4) at Detroit (B.Williams 0-4), 12:15 p.m. Toronto (Janzen 4-2) at Oakland (Chouinard 0-2), 3:05 p.m. Seattle (B.Wells 7-1) at Chicago (A.Fernandez 6-3), 3:05 p.m. California (Boskie 7-2) at Milwaukee (Miranda 34), 7:05 p.m.

Boston (Wakefleld 4-7) at Texas (Pavlik 9-1), 7:35 p.m. drated that he needed a liter of intravenous fluid earlier than expected. After five events in the decathlon, world record-holder O'Brien was trailing Huffins who ran the fastest 100 in decathlon history (10.22) to take the early lead in the grueling two-day competition. Huffins, second to O'Brien in the national championships last year, had 4,687 points after four events while O'Brien had 4,618. Huffins traditionally has a strong first-day showing and fades in the last five events of the decathlon.

He was second in the event after the first day of the 1992 Olympic trials, only to finish 15th. World champion Allen Johnson had the best time of 13.18 seconds in the first round of the men's 110-meter hurdles. Wall too high for Dodgers LOS ANGELES (AP) Donne Wall wasn't in the Houston Astros' immediate plans at the start of the season. If he keeps pitching like this, however, he could be in their October plans. The rookie right-hander outdueled Hideo Nomo through six innings to remain unbeaten this season as the Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 Thursday night.

"I didn't have a very good spring and they already had the five starters they wanted coming out of spring training," Wall said. "They didn't think I could help the team in the bullpen. They thought the best contribution I could make to this team was as a starter, so I had to wait till a spot opened up." The Astros, who climbed into a tie with St. Louis for first place in the NL Central, have won all eight games Wall has started this season. He is 8-1 in 13 career starts with the Astros, who promoted him for the first time last September.

An arm injury to right-hander Doug Brocail led to Wall's May 14 promotion from Tucson, where he earned player of the year honors in the Pacific Coast League last season while leading the league in ERA and strikeouts. Astros THURSDAY'S GAME "We'll announce what's going to happen when Doug gets back, but Donne Wall is in this rotation," Astros manager Terry Collins said. Wall (5-0) won his fourth consecutive start after three straight no-decisions, allowing two runs and seven hits while striking out four and walking two. Jeff Bagwell helped him with a tiebreaking solo homer. Fellow rookie Billy Wagner worked 2 2-3 innings, striking out seven, before Todd Jones got the final out for his 15th save.

"The second guy was throwing hard as hell," said Delino DeShields, whose two-out double in the ninth was the only hit off Wagner. "I hadn't seen a lefty throw that hard in a while." Nomo (8-6) was charged with four runs and six hits over seven-plus innings, striking out eight and walking two. He surrendered Bagwell's 21st homer to left-center with one out in the sixth, giving Houston a 3-2 lead and increasing Bagwell's league-leading RBI total to 71. People in Sports Qooden considered suicide In '94 NEW YORK Dwight Gooden pointed a gun at his head and thought about pulling the trigger nearly two years ago during his drug suspension, the New York Yankees pitcher has revealed. Gooden considered suicide a day after he was suspended by acting commissioner Bud Selig in September 1994, he told the New York Daily News in Friday editions.

"I was sitting in the bedroom with a gun in my hand," Gooden told the newspaper. "My wife walked in, and I actually had the gun to my head, thinking about pulling the trigger." Gooden said he was despondent about the suspension, which occurred while he was with the New York Mets. "I was so destroyed by that," he said. "I was sitting there with the gun. I'd say, 'Go ahead and end but then I'd say, 'No, be a man and face up to your responsibilities, your wife and He said his wife, Monica, walked into the room at that time.

"I don't know if I ever would have actually done it, but then my wife walked in and she just freaked," Gooden said. "She started screaming, and she grabbed the gun from me. When I think about it now, it was crazy. The gun was loaded; it could have gone off. "But she grabbed it from me, and then she ran and called my mom and told her to come over right away.

When I think about it, the whole thing was terrifying." On Friday, between games of the Yankees' day-night doubleheader in Cleveland, Gooden said he'd spoken publicly about the incident for the first time because film makers have approached him about making a movie telling his life story. Gooden's struggles have been chronicled in a book, but there was no mention that he'd considered suicide. "There's a lot of stuff that has happened to me that's not in the book and no, I really don't want to talk about it. Maybe it might slip out sometime like this did, but not right now," he said. "I think it's important, though, for kids who don't see the book to know how things with drugs can get." Associated Press Area I Continued from Page IB strikeouts in one inning of work), rallied in the third frame with a solo shot to right.

Freeport continued its scoring in the fourth when Nicholas Castro and Kenny LeCompte scored off a double by Tod Lunford and a single from Isaac Valdez. James is slated to pitch for Freeport in the championship game. With a homer and an outstanding pitching performance Thursday and Friday, James is issuing a warning for all those who get in his way. "They just better watch out for my fastball," James said. LJ National 12, Angleton 1 FREEPORT In the nightcap of the Area I Tournament, Lake Jackson National eliminated Angleton 12-1 to advance within one game of the championship.

Lake Jackson will next face Lamar at 7:30 p.m. tonight for the right to play Freeport in the finals. Lake Jackson rallied from a 1-0 deficit to score four runs in the bottom of the first. Two more were scored in the third with six coming in the fourth to put the game away. In the fourth, Ben Garrison and Blah- Porsche each managed RBIs.

The final runs were plated by the bat of Timothy Hagemeier, who launched a two-RBI single to center to end the fourth on the 10-run rule. Angleton's sole run came in the first when Josh Cope singled in Ryan Dannhaus. Freshman Continued from Page 16 Area IV Continued from Page IB walked with the bases loaded to score Schaeffer. Fielder's choice grounders by Justin Krebs and Timothy Jones brought home two more runs, and a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch brought home the final two runs of the inning. But Sweeny didn't give up and came back to score two runs in the bottom of the frame and avoid the 10- run rule.

An infield single by Chris Burns brought home Vincent Moreno for the first run. Later, Baron Hahn scored on a bases-loaded walk to Brad Barker to cut the LJA lead to 10-2. Lake Jackson stretched its lead again in the third with five more runs. Pell had a two-run single in the inning and later scored on an error. A wild pitch and an error brought home the other two runs of the inning.

Sweeny came back in the bottom of the inning to score five runs. Levi Garrison scored the first on a fielder's choice grounder by Marcus Flores. An error and a fielder's choice grounder by Brendon Saul brought home two more runs. Daniel Isaacs finished things off for Sweeny with a two-run single. Lake Jackson returned the favor in the fourth, scoring six more times to put the game out of reach and finally run-rule the game.

Schaeffer got the win for Lake Jackson and Pell earned the save. drew his name from the underclassmen list," said Grizzlies president Stu Jackson, who declined further comment. Bozeman, as it turns out, may not be around next season. He reportedly is talking with the New Jersey Nets about an assistant coaching job to join his old friend, John Calipari, who left Massachusetts to become the team's head coach. The Nets are considering hiring Bozeman, who has often said he would eventually jump to the NBA, the Chronicle report- ed.

In still another development that could further shake up Cal's team, the Chronicle reported that former guard Jelani Gardner may be planning to reveal alleged recruiting violations to the NCAA. Gardner has since transferred to Pepperdine. Gardner may be hoping that if Cal is placed on probation, the NCAA may waive his one-year waiting period before being allowed to play for Pepperdine. AREA BRIEFS Angleton, Alvin win In All-Stars LAKE JACKSON Alvin National was downed by Lamar National 7-2, Friday at the 9- and 10-year-old Area IV All-Star Tournament. Domingo Rivas and Phillip Lopez combined on the mound for Alvin in the losing effort.

Lopez scored both of Alvin's runs, crossing the plate once in the second and again the fourth. In the nightcap, Angleton defeated Freeport 5-1 to advance. Albert Pena and Irin Ramirez combined on the mound to help Angleton to the win. Eli Elicero and Ty Kersten pitched for Freeport. Angleton scorers were Jacob Peltier, Ramirez and Chris Pounds.

Elicero was the only runner to cross for Freeport. B'wood American Legion wins ALVIN Brazoswood American Legion defeated Alvin 17-5 Friday at Alvin. Chip Giese pitched a complete game, striking out six. Giese was helped in the field by catcher Chris Speights, who threw out two runners. At the plate, Brazoswood's bats pounded out 15 hits.

Trent Jones led the way with a 3-for-3 showing. Parker Irwin managed a 2-RBI double and Speights managed a 2-RBI double as well. Brazoswood (3-2, 4-4) will play 2 p.m. Sunday at Wilson Field against League City. BSC registration today The Brazoria Soccer Club will be holding registration today and June 29, July 6, 20 and 27 from 7 a.m.

to 3 p.m. at the Brazoria Library, 201 Main St. for ages 6-19. The season begins in September. For more information call Kevin Knapp at 798-6663.

LJ Soccer Club registering today The Lake Jackson Soccer Club will hold open registration today at the Brazos Mali visitor information center (across from Zales) for children who will be 4- years-old or older on or before Aug. 1,1996. Fees are $65 per child for U-8 and older and $25 for mini (U-6) players. This will be the last open registration for players who will be 8 years of age. After this date, players will be accepted only where team numbers permit.

If you received a mail-in registration form for your child, mail it in no later than today. Fees for mail-in registration are $50 for U-8 players and $25 for mini players. Call 299-1171 for more information. Punt, Pass, Kick contest today A Punt, Pass and Kick Contest is being held at the West Columbia Junior High football field today from 15 p.m. Cost to enter is $10 and registration for the event will start at noon.

Trophies for each age group (7-8, will be given. Call Delena Osgood at 345-3883 for more information. Angleton soccer camp slated Angleton High School soccer coaches Eric Meldahl and Graylyn Boyd will conduct a soccer camp 5-9 p.m. Monday through Friday at the ECC Field in Angleton. The camp is for both boys and girls, ages 6-16, of all playing levels and skils.

Cost is $35. Call Meldahl at 297-0101 or Boyd at 849-0112 for more information. Deals Continued from Page IB pick in the NBA draft to Dallas on Friday for the No. 6 pick and the Maverick's first-round choice next year. "We believe there's a quantum leap from six to nine," Celtics boss M.L.

Carr said. The team's coach and general manager said he was eager to move up the draft order still farther. In addition to improving his draft position, Can- said unloading Montross' salary gives the Celtics an extra $900,000 under the salary cap that can be used in the free agent market. And having an extra pick in 1997 will help the team rebuild from what could be by then the longest championship drought in the history of the franchise. "This organization has been down for a number of years," Carr said.

"We're trying to get this thing back on track." Montross, from North Carolina, was the ninth overall pick in the 1994 draft and started 75 games as a rookie, averaging 10 points and seven rebounds per game. Last year, he averaged seven points and nearly six rebounds before ending his season March 22 with a sprained ankle. The sixth pick gives the Celtics their highest choice since 1986, when they took Len Bias second overall; he died of a cocaine overdose two days after the draft. It is their first No. 6 pick since Larry Bird in.