Newspaper Page Text
PANTHER
OUTLOOK BRIGHT
Walter Landers sets the pace
for a winning season for
Clark’s football team.
Panther
on the PiqjvI.
By Charles Anderson
It’s rare for one to ex
perience knowing a gifted
person who is totally un
pretentious about his or her
talents.
Walter Landers, run-
ningback for the Clark Panthers
football team, is one of those
refreshing oddities.
Walter is truly a team
player. His main concerns are
not about his individual ac
complishments, but his con
tributions to the team.
For his efforts on the
gridiron, the senior back has
By Robert A. Richardson
The 1977 Clark College
football team should show
considerable improvement over
last year’s 3-6 won-loss record.
With 30 returnees and let-
termen and 28 freshmen and
sophomores, coach Jesse S.
McClardy, said he may have the
'perfect blende of youth and
experience to make this football
season a successful one.
I Mark Brown, a 6-3, 222
pound junior from Atlanta, and
Arlander Lavant, a 6-3, 226
ipund senior from Savannah,
Ga., are strong and experienced
athletes who will man the
defensive ends.
The defensive tackle
position will be anchored by
Charles Cheek, a sophomore
who saw considerable playing
time as a freshman and Dwellie
Hines who at 6-4, 265 pound
should be a quality, player.
There are at least seven
linebackers on the team who are
proven under game situations.
They are led by Carlton Gibson,
a 6-0, 197 pound junior from
Rome, Ga.; Robert Baity, a
freshman from Atlanta, and Eric
Brooks, another freshman, also
from Atlanta. LaRue Letson,
Atlanta, Gerald Reese, Atlanta,
Arturo Cato, Newark, and
Warren Sampson, Moultrie,
Ga., are all capable athletes
seeking a starting linebacker
position.
The defensive backs are led
by Tony Sinkfield, a converted
wide receiver from Griggin,
Ga.; Charles Fletcher, a senior
from Atlanta, Gary Hall, a
sophomore from Griffin, Ga.;
and Ken Livingston, a
sophomore from Atlanta.
Phil Parks, Atlanta, George
Turner, Atlanta, Darryl Wells,
Atlanta, and Johnny Wilder,
Griffin, round out the eight
backs who should see plenty of
action.
The Panther offense should
be able to move the ball on the
ground as well as the air. The
running attack is spearhead by
all-SIAC player Walter Landrs,
a 6-2, 223 pound senior from
Lanet, Ala.
Teaming with Landers in
the starting backfield will be
Charles Metts, a 5-10, 190
pound senior from Atlanta
Clarence Peopoles, Johnny
Richards, and Marcus Banks fill
reserve roles.
Phillip McCrary and
Charles Gammage are the
starting wide receivers.
Coach McClardy said he
has two capable quarterbacks in
Larry Cobbs, Sparta, Ga. and
Kenneth Standifer, Monticello,
Ga
The expected return ot lea
Jackson, Clark’s starting
quarterback last year, has done
much to heighten the coach’s
optimism.
Christopher Seldon and
Meredith McCrary will back up
the two starters. Kenny Ellison
and Cedric Morris share the
duties at tight end.
Byron Adams, a sound,
hard-working athlete, will be
playing center. Lamar Smith
and Johnny Pelman are out
standing at the two offensive
tackle positions.
The punting chores will be
handled by Willie Adams, a
sophomore from Atlanta, and
-the place kicking will be handled
by Charles McPherson, a junior
from Atlanta.
PANTHER Page 4
By Rita Twinkle Campbell
On a Monday night baseball game aired earlier this season from
Arlington Stadium, a national television audience was startled to hear
a voice boom out “...Howard Cosell, the entire state of Texas hates
your guts.” The speaker was a 16-year-old Texas Ranger ballboy who
didn’t realize he was yellling into a live microphone in the Rangers
dugout.
I Take One Game At a Time
Morehouse College football coach Michael Gray said he did not
want to comment on whether his team would defeat Clark. “I try to
take one game at a time; when they roll around then I’ll talk,” he
said.
I Put My Clothes on at Home
When the New Orleans Jazz drafted Delta State’s Luisa Harris,
she was “very shocked,” but Jazz Coach Elgin Baylor was serious
about the selection. “I believe in women’s rights, and she’ll receive
every consideration,” he said. “This doesn’t put me on the spot but
it might for the players because I put my clothes on at home.”
Only 107 Yards Rushing
Although the Clark College Panthers lost thier home opener to
Miles College by a score of 7-6, they came back and defeated Lane
College 20-12, only to gain 107 yards rushing, most of that by half
back Walter Landers.
Offense & Defense Name of the Game
Speaking of upsets: The o ffense was tremendous and theii
defense was stingy and Billy Mayo was the key. Under the guidance
of Mayo, the Morris Brown Wolverines ran, passed, and crushed
Tuskegee Institute 30-7. The Wolverines scored in every quarter.
Falcon! Win With Greati White Hope
The often called “underdog” Atlanta Falcons managed to score
more than a safety to beat the Los Angeles Rams 17-6. Scott Hunter
did the signal calling as quarterback The Falcons put it all together
for their opener under the guidance of head coach Leeman Bennett.
Editorial Comment
When was the last time Clark College’s entire student body could
believe in and ev.en boast about its football team. There was a time,
believe it ornotyhat the mighty Panthers were top contenders.
Not only is the football team in a learning process, but so are
some of the coaches. Through all of this you can expect the outcome
to be fair and not a total disaster.
The quarterback position is going through changes that had not
been expected . Larry Cobb is the starter and Kenneth Standifer
backs him up. The passing game is poor and the offense needs help.
We can not lose faith in our team, however. Through positive
thinking comes positive production. We must help the team by
giving them our support during their ups and downs.
Let’s all get acquainted with the Clark College Panther motto: 1
We Are Furious Black Panthers. We Stand Proud and Roar. We’II
Never be Pussycats. We never roll over, play dead, and whisper \
meow.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★★★★
After cutting John Gillium, one of the best wide receivers in
football, fans are still saying how great Leeman Bennett, head coach
of the Atlanta Falcons is. Sports fans everywhere were shocked and
disappointed by this move. The Falcon coaches said he was dropping
to many passes.
How can you catch something if it’s being thrown in the other
direction?
Gilliam was more shocked than any fan. “Leaving Min
nesota was probably one of the biggest mistakes of my life,” said
Gilliam.
Sonny Collins, a running back from Kentucky, couldn’t believe
his ears when he was told he had been cut. Neither could Bob Jones a
four year defensive back out of Virginia Union, or Ron Mabra, a
defensive back out of Howard University. They were all in total
disbelief and wondered, “Why me.”
Even though black players on the Falcon team are making
valuablecontributions.they are slow but surely being released.
Although the Falcons defeated the Los Angles Rams 30-7, let me
tell you that the Falcons are by no means better than the Rams.
The Atlanta Falcons ball club has no doubt in their minds, along
with owner Rankin Smith, that Leeman Bennett is the great white
hope. Yet, if we can all remember last season it was Pat Peppier, and
before ' t it was Marion Campbell and so on and so on.
been selected as “Outstanding
Athlete” for the month of
September by the Panther sports
staff.
Landers is a proven player
in the Southern Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference. Last
season, the fullback turned
halfback, was selected to the all
SIAC team, and this year he is
among the top running 11 backs
in the South.
Coach Jesse McClardy said
Landers, the mainstay of the
offensive unit, is a tremendous
human being as well as an
outstanding athlete.
“Walter’s attitude on the
field and ofr is positive at all
times,” said McClardy. “And
he doesn’t mind taking
ciriticism, because he wants to‘
improve his weaknesses.”
With his attitude and size
(6-2 and weight in the neigh
borhood of 210 and 220, Landers
will undoubtedly be a candidate
for the National Football League
draft. He has the option of
playing fullback or halfback, but
says he prefers playing halfback
because of his erect running
style.
The Lannett, Ala. native is
optimistic about being drated.
“There’s no reason why_I
shouldn’t go somewhere in the
draft, because one key is that
I’ve never beeninjuried,” says
the soft-spoken physical
education major.
“The training here at Clark
is more than adequate in
preparing athletes mentally,
physically, and fundamentally.
Tiger Defense
By Veverly Byrd
The 1977 Maroon Tigers of
Morehouse College started the
season off with a 13-6 victory
over Fort Valley State College
Sept. 17.
Michael Gray, head football
coach for the Tigers, was very
happy with the outcome of the
game.
When asked who he felt
was outstanding in the team’s
win, Gray replied “It is difficult
to say just who was outstanding.
It was more of a team effort. But
if Lhad to choose the players
who showed outstanding play it
would be Edward Daniel,
Donald Edwards, Reginald
Jones, James Gambrell, Sammy
Banks and Reginald Kelly.”
Jimmy Gambrell, defensive
end, also one of the outstanding
Various NFL teams, mainly
in the south, have shown
considerable interest in him.
Against Miles and Lane
Colleges, Landers displayed
surefooted power and speed,
rushing for 149 and 120 yards
respectively, while scoring three
touchdowns.
The second game was
against Lane College was of
special singificance, to the team
because it marked its first
victory of the season, 20-12.
Landers was a pivotal figure in
Strongest Ever
.returnees, said, “I think that we
are the best team in the con
ference. Our defense is the
strongest that we have ever had
and our offense will come
around to being the best, also.
We are just taking each game at
a time.”
Team captain, Donald
Edwards, All SIAC linebacker,
said the players are very en
thusiastic about the season. He
said the defense is Morehouse’s
strong point and emphasized
that they will win all of their
conference games.
As far as the goals of the
coach, Gray said, “Our first
goal was to win the first game,
our second goal is to win the
second game; and our third goal
is to win the thrid game.
“In other words, I’ll make
no predications -- just take each
game as it come.”
that game, carrying the ball
across the goal line twice.
Landers says the offensive
line helps him p <?reat deal.
“They are discipli; in holding
their blocks, giving me the
opportunity to pick my holes.
That’s a real important element
in my game. You need that
kind of support, no matter what
sport your’re participating in,”
said Landers.
And, as coach McClardy
put it, “The more runs he
breaks, the better off we’ll be.”