Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 58

2F DETROIT FREE PRESSWEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1992 Puerto Rico's defense bounces Venezuela Nothing left in Tucker's right Heavyweight has strong record, but Jack of punch dulls his appeal Tucker's next two fights changed his life and changed the faces. of boxing. He KO'd Buster Douglas in the 10th round in Las Vegas on May.3,0, 1987, to win the IBF title. Next, Tucker defended the ttle against Tyson and shocked the world. He stopped Tyson in his tracks, watched him wobble from a mighty left hook in the first round; thereafter, Tyson approached cautiously and settled for a decision.

Tucker did not fight again for 2h Puerto Rico clinched a quarterfinal berth in the Tournament of the cas with a 91-80 basketball victory Tuesday over Venezuela in Portland, Ore. Puerto Rico ended the qualifying round with a 3-1 record and will finish second behind Brazil (3-0), because Brazil won the meeting between the two, 95-72. Puerto Rico will play the third-place finisher from the other five-team pool in Thursday's quarterfinals. A victory in that game would mean a berth in the Olympics as the four semifinalists advance to Barcelona. Venezuela (1-2) managed to stay close until midway in the second half despite the ineffectiveness of Carl Her-rera of the Houston Rockets because of a combination of the defense of Puerto Rico's Jose Ortiz and foul trouble.

Ortiz, the Pacific-10 player-of-the-year in 1987 at Oregon State held Herrera, who played at the University of Houston, to 5-for-12 shooting and 13 points. More Tournament Of Americas: Mexico rallied from a 17-point second-half deficit to beat Uruguay, 98-89, in a match of winless teams. BOXING: Carlos Gonzalez, 20, unbeaten from Mexico City, stopped former champion Jimmy Paul from Detroit in the second round Monday night to win the vacant World Boxing Organization junior welterweight title in Inglewood, Calif. Paul, 32, returned to the ring last perceive him as another home run hitter in the short pants of the ring; indeed, his record shows 36 knockouts. But Tucker couldn't punch his way out a paper bag with his right hand, rebuilt surgically.

Maybe because of that, he often is (condemned as a dreadfully dull fighter. McCall complained Tucker did little except grab and hold; it was an exaggeration, but not much. Before the fight, Tucker and I talked. Despite his winning record, Tucker frequently hears that watching him fight is more a chore than a treat. "I'm going to be more aggressive," he said.

"That's my thing now. I'm going after people, that's the only way to get to a championship." He had said the same so often it wasn't a surprise to see him content to fend off McCall and count on the judges to reward him. "I had the flu," he said later. "Besides, everybody has a bad day once in a while and this was mine." On his record, Tucker, who lives in Las Vegas and Los Angeles and trains in Tyler, Texas, has had one of the great careers in boxing. Actually, it's fragmented over a dozen years and several painful personal conflicts.

He was the U.S. heavyweight of choice for the 1980 Olympics except we boycotted the Moscow Games. Over the next six years, working primarily out of Detroit's Kronk Gym with his father, Bob, advising and Emanuel Steward training, Tucker won 34 straight fights and the USBA championship. Local fights still were being held at Cobo Arena. Whenever Tony fought, his father was his valet.

years. He tried drugs and lost. Tucker's father always was his close ally, but together father and son proved such relationships can't work. "Whenever I got hit," Tony said, "my father felt it. I love my father.

We're still very close and I talk to him all the time. But I had to put him out of my boxing life." Tucker now is 11 victories and2Vb years into his comeback. There is little indication he might soon be called the championship ring. A major reason for delay is that Holyfield is controlled by Dan Duva. Tucker is fighting under the banner'of Don King, a rival promoter who; is fighting still another government investigation.

"So it will take time," said Tucker. "But I have to say something about Don King that the world ought to know. "He has been great with me. He has been more than fair, he has given me every chance and opportunity I could want. What more can I say?" Nothing.

Just write that down, and sign it. It is a very good thing Tony Tucker, formerly of Grand Rapids and Detroit, has so many things going for him. Otherwise, I might find it easy easier, actually to dismiss him as a viable contender for the heavyweight championship. None of the contenders still waiting to fight champion Evander Holy-field has been in the ring as often and won as much as Tucker. None is as big, or has fought as long, or has held a heavyweight title.

And only one other Donovan (Razor) Ruddock can boast of having gone the distance against Iron (Bars) Mike Ty son. Tony Tucker, 6-feet-5, 233 pounds of muscle, mostly, has a mighty fine boxing resume. He is 32, ranked No. 4 and 45-1, an astonishing record in a 12-year career. His best of times came in back-to-back fights in 1987.

He knocked out Buster Douglas to win the IBF championship, and two months later lost it on a decision to Tyson. So what it is about Tucker, you say, that causes fans to boo and critics to dismiss him as an idle title threat? It happened again in Cleveland last Friday when Tucker was awarded a controversial decision over Oliver McCall; fans hooted. A problem is Tucker's size. Fans 49 $97 MOTOROLA GEORGE PUSCAS Boxing AIL INSTALLED Ladywood athletic director to guide youth program Open: Monday thru Saturday dosed Sunday UIV MOBILE ELECTRONICS u-JS r.l "SKA -ggr '99 PRESTIGE Russian football players prove defective after loss The Moscow Giants lost more than a football game over the weekend they lost their players. The Russian team lost 13 players, who decided to stay in Ottawa on Sunday, leaving Russian wives, children and jobs, as well as breaking their team contracts.

It came as a shock to team owner Boris Aletin. "My impression is that they think it will be easier to live in Canada," he said. Holed up in dormitory rooms at Carleton University, 13 players refused to speak to reporters. The players have been moved from the university to an undisclosed location. The team was loading luggage on a bus when several passports were reported missing.

Ottawa police and immigration officers were called. The Giants were beaten, 17-7, by the Ottawa Bootleggers. It was their fourth straight loss. International pastime Football isn't the only American sport that has attracted Russian players. Just ask the California Angels.

The Angels have signed two 23-year-old infielders from Moscow third baseman Yevgeny Puchkof and shortstop Ilya Bogatyrev. They're headed for the Angels' Arizona rookie league team, where they hope to hone their skills enough to make the major leagues. The Angels are the first major league club to begin to tap into a market where baseball is a young, obscure sport. Another player, left-handed pitcher Rudolf Razigaez, 23, of Siberia, will join the Russian pair in Arizona in July. None of the trio has been playing America's pastime for more than four years, and their chances of making it to the major leagues are slim.

Sportspeak Michigan State football coach George Perles, on the Spartans' Dec. 5, 1993, game in Tokyo with Wisconsin: "It's a global world. You can't be a prisoner to your own campus. We've got to get to the Far East. We've got to go to places like Germany and Europe." SPORTS TODAY Television 10:00 a.m.

(NBC) Tennis: Wimbledon, men's quarterfinals. 2:10 p.m. (HD Baseball: NY Mets at Chicago Cubs. 3:30 C3D Baseball: Atlanta at San Francisco. 5:00 Tennis: Wimbledon, men's quarterfinals.

6:10 CUED Off to the Races from Hazel Park. 7:15 (W) Tigers pregame. 7:30 QED Tigers: Detroit at Boston. 7:30 (BHD Baseball: Chicago White Sox at Cleveland. 7:30 Q8D Tennis: Wimbledon highlights.

10:00 dD Olympic basketball: U.S. vs. Argentina 11:00 CEBD Table tennis: U.S. Open men's semifinal (taped). 11:35 (NBC) Tennis: Wimbledon highlights.

Radio 1:30 p.m. Baseball: Texas at Toronto, CKWW-AM (580), CHOK-AM (1070). 5:00 Sports Drive, WLQV-AM (1500). 6:10 Sportsbeat, WPZA-AM (1050). 6:15 Sportswrap, WJR-AM 7:30 Tigers: Detroit at Boston, WJR-AM (760), WPZA-AM (1050).

Area events Baseball London Tigers vs. Hagerstown, 7 p.m., Labatt Park, London, Ontario. Tickets: $8.50 box, $7 chair, $6 bench, $4.25 bleacher, discount for senior citizens and 12-under (ticket prices Canadian). 1-519-645-2255. Toledo Mud Hens vs.

Scranton-Wilkes Barre, 7 p.m. at Ned Skeldon Stadium, 2901 Key Street, Toledo. Box seats $6, reserved $5, bleachers $3. 419-893-9483. Harness racing Hazel Park Harness Raceway 11 races, 7:30 p.m., 10 Mile at Dequindre.

398-1000. Saginaw Harness Raceway 12 races, 7 p.m., Saginaw Fairgrounds, 2701 E. Genesee. 1-517-755-3451. Toledo Raceway Park 13 races, 7:30 p.m., 5700 Telegraph In Toledo.

1-419-476-7751. Thoroughbred racing Detroit Race Course 10 races, 2:30 p.m., Middtebelt and Schoolcraft, Livonia 525-7300. Woodbine at Windsor Raceway Intertrack, 9 races, 9:30 p.m., Highway 18 and Sprucewood, Windsor. 961-9545. REMOTE CONTROL AUTO ALARM Passive arming.

Remote. Multi-tone siren. APSI BEEPER Activation required, renewed. BPR2000 TPSIUNll 2252 ELLSWORTH (313)572-7870 DEARBORN 22805 MICHIGAN (313)505-0200 6" 9" SPEAKERS 2-way. watt max power.

92dB sensitivity. PS 6951 BATTLE CREEK 145 COLUMBIA (616)968-2400 (RAND RAPIDS 2070 28th STREET (615)452-3222 PORTAGE 7441 S. WARREN 32260 DEQUINDRE (313)979-0730 WESTNEDGE (616)324-4270 August after retiring four years earlier Mike Tyson, who turned 26, dropped out of school at the Indiana prison where he's serving a six-year sentence for rape, prison officials in Plainfield said. GOLF: Bob Tway rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to defeat Curtis Strange and win the Westinghouse-Family House Invitational Golf Tournament in Ligonier, Pa. Strange, four shots back of first-round leader Tway, shot a 69.

Tway ended at 73. Roger Kennedy of Pompano Beach, and Don Lind-sey of Hobe Sound, matched three-under par 69s to lead qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open Championship in Jupiter, Fla. Kennedy, 50, the pro-manager at Pompano Beach Country Club, hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation and made three birdies on the Fazio course. NHL Bobby Carpenter returned to the Washington Capitals, the team where he started his career six years ago.

Carpenter, an unrestricted free agent signed with the Capitals for one year and an option year at $500,000 per season. Right wingers Jean Pronovost and Rick Kehoe and the late head coach Bob Johnson have been selected as the charter members of the Pittsburgh Penguins Hall of Fame. HOCKEY: The U.S. Ambassadors women's hockey team won the women's division of the White Nights tournament in St. Petersburg, Russia, last week, with a 2-1 victory over Latvia in the championship game.

Five team members of the Grosse Pointe University Liggett girls hockey team, their coach Rebekah Ingles and several players from the Michigan Capitals in Brownstown Township joined players from Maine and New Hampshire representing the United States at the first women's hockey tournament in Russia. There were no provisions for the national anthem, so the players' mothers, who served as chaperones on the tour, sang "God Bless America" at the opening of tournament games. Michigan players who traveled to the tournament are, from the Michigan Capitals, Danya Marshman, 13, Huntington Woods, Sarah Vogler, 18, Birmingham and Stacey Chuhran, 15, Canton; and, from Liggett, P.R. Stark, 17, Detroit, Monica Paul, 18, Grosse Pointe Farms, Katie Frederick, 17, Grosse Pointe Woods, Michele Krys-zak, 15, Grosse Pointe Woods and Becky Simpson, 14, Grosse Pointe Woods. SOFTBALL: Seventy-three senior teams from the U.S.

and Canada will compete in the NASCS (National Association of Senior Citizens Softball) Seniors Softball World Series qualifier in Mt. Clemens this weekend. Baylor hires assistant; basketball staff complete Associated Press WACO, Texas New Baylor basketball coach Darrell Johnson completed his staff on Tuesday with the hiring of Kevin Gray, who had been at Alabama for the last eight years under the recently resigned Wimp Sanderson. amount for a rookie. Bertuzzi, who listened to testimony from all sides last week, said he wrestled with "a complicated set of circumstances" and rode an "emotional roller-coaster" before deciding last weekend.

"My decision," he quipped, "was in black and white and orange." Those are the Flyers' colors. The Rangers issued a two-sentence statement from president and general manager Neil Smith, who was in Hilton Head, S.C., attending AHL meetings. "The New York Rangers are naturally disappointed by the arbitrator's decision," Smith said. "However, we have an exciting, young, winning team and will continue to pursue every opportunity to make it even better." Bertuzzi said the Rangers were an innocent party, thinking they had made a deal and being unaware of the Flyers' deal. He refused to say Quebec had double-crossed anyone, saying Aubut merely continued to seek a better deal.

0 Ridlt't! Cellular Phone prluf bated on MrtlclDatlan Available by wr AutwrDed Carrier. Minimum actuation required, HUE without actuation Livonia Ladywood athletic director Kim Linenger fulfilled one of her career goals in athletic administration Tuesday when she was named director of athletics for the local Catholic Youth Organization. Linenger spent eight years at Ladywood, the last four as athletic director, and coached the Softball team. Starting Aug. 1, she will oversee all CYO boys and girls athletic programs that includes 150 local grade schools.

"It will be tough to leave Ladywood but I'm looking forward to this," Linenger said. "I'll miss coaching Softball and having the everyday interaction with the kids. Personally, it's tough to leave." College Basketball Ken Patterson of Detroit Northern has signed a letter of intent to play for Owens Technical College in Toledo. Patterson, a 6-5, 190-pound forward, averaged 18 points and 14 rebounds last season, helping Northern to a 17-4 record. College Track And Field: Michigan State Women's Track and Field Head coach Karen Dennis will leave after 11 years to run the women's track program at the University of Las Vegas.

She will also take over as coach of the cross country team. FOOTBALL The Detroit Drive announced that wide receiver Mark Guy signed with the team. Guy, 28, played the last three season for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. Last season he had 16 receptions for 264 yards and one touchdown. GOLF: Terry Smith of Waterford shot a 79 on the 76-par course at Knollwood Country Club in West Bloomfield to win the Women's District Golf Association Tournament's Championship flight.

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"It's been a long 15 months," said Lindros, who said in Toronto that his "bags are packed" for Philadelphia. "I'm just happy to get out of there," Lindros said, adding he rejected a 10-year, $50-million offer from the Nordiques. "They lacked a winning spirit. I didn't want any part of it." Snider said he would start negotiations as soon as possible. "We wouldn't have given up the players we have if we didn't think he was worth a substantial contract," Snider said.

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