Newspaper Page Text
Page 6
— Griffin Daily News Friday, January 25, 1974
Cotton Fitzsimmons:
6 l 9 ve tried everything 9
By DAVID MOFFIT
UPI Sports Writer
ATLANTA (UPI)- Cotton
Fitzsimmons, coach of the NBA
Atlanta Hawks, became en
raged the other night when his
team fell apart in the second
half of a game at Chicago.
One could hardly blame him.
A lot of people, Cotton included,
thought the Hawks had a good
run at the Central Division title
this season. But, as it now
stands, Buffalo, third in the
Atlantic Division, has a better
shot at a playoff berth than do
the Hawks who are second in
the relatively-weak Central.
“I’ve tried everything I know
to shake this team up,” Cotton
said in anger. “People seem to
think that because we have
Pete Maravich and Lou Hudson
(the second and fourth leading
scorers in the NBA), we’re
loaded with talent.
“Well, we’re not. I’m not a
losing coach, and I won’t stand
pat in this situation.”
If Cotton Fitzsimmons is
frustrated, figure how Atlanta
fans must feel.
flfl V/
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dump
Flames
The Buckstone Rangers shot
down the Flames 67-62 last night
in the Men’s Basketball League.
Eddie Perdue scored 20 points
for the Rangers and Willie
Prothro made 12.
Nathan Blanton led the
Flames with 31 points. Grey
Green made eight.
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For them, it’s not just the
Hawks. They’ve had to watch
the Atlanta Braves struggle
through one poor baseball
season after another; they’ve
had to watch the Atlanta
Falcons almost, but never
quite, make it to a playoff
berth in the NFL; and while
they’ve seem to enjoy the
Atlanta Flames, they know that
second-year team is a long way
from becoming an NHL conten
der.
The mood of Cotton Fitzsim
mons was only an echo of the
mood of Braves manager Eddie
Mathews last summer and the
mood of Falcons coach Norm
Van Brocklin late last fall.
Atlanta has now been in
volved in “major league”
sports for eight years and the
city’s only championship during
that span was provided by a
soccer team that faded into
oblivion a few years later
because of lack of interest.
The Braves did make it to the
National League playoffs in
1969. But the New York Mets
swept three straight games and
Don Latta
$500,000 Bass,” writes a
column, “Me and My Big
mouth,” and hosts a syndicated
radio show.
Don is executive director of
the Ozark Fishing Hall of Fame,
a member of Outdoor Writers
Association of America and
winner of the 1964 World Series
of Sportsfishing.
Overtime
authorized
CHICAGO (UPI) — National
Hockey League President Clar
ence Campbell authorized a
sudden death overtime should
tonight’s East-West All-Star
game here be tied at the end of
regulation time.
“If the game should go into
overtime, none of the players
who will be playing in the game
have a transportation prob
lem,” Campbell said.
the Braves have never been
close since.
The inability of the Braves
and the Hawks to come up with
winners has been reflected in
their attendance. The last two
years, the Braves have drawn
only half as many people as
they did their first two seasons
in Atlanta even with Hank
Aaron hitting those home runs;
and the Hawks have been
playing before 50 per cent of
capacity crowds in their 15-
month-old coliseum.
The Flames have come close
to filling the coliseum. But, this
can be credited to the newness
of hockey in Atlanta and
observers contend that those
crowds also will begin to
dwindle if the Flames’ record
doesn’t approve within the next
year or so.
The one professional team
that seems financially secure in
Atlanta, win or lose, is the
Falcons.
Atlanta has long been a
football town. Before the
Falcons arrived, the citizens
spent their money on college
Preliminaries
over for Irish
By United Press International
No. 1 Notre Dame has its
preliminaries out of the way,
but UCLA must contend with
Santa Clara tonight before the
Bruins can concentrate on
Saturday’s instant replay for
the college basketball’s top
billing.
Blackhawks,
Tigers win
The Tigers beat the Wildcats
27-19, the Blackhawks dumped
the Celtics 31-26 and the
Crickets nipped the Pink
Panthers 13-10 yesterday in the
Rick Barry Basketball League.
Paul Smith scored 11 points
for the Tigers and Kenny Hunt
made eight. Jeff Treadway had
five for the Wildcats and
Charles Sheppard made four.
Fred Nix led the Blackhawks
with 13 points. Todd Smith
scored six. Gary Betz and Mark
Nordan had eight for the
Celtics.
Diana Dunaway made seven
points for the Crickets and
Beverly Lisle made six. Belinda
scored six for the Pink Panthers
and Julie Woodward made two.
Bythwood
bowls 187
Joanne Bythwood bowled a
187 game and a 500 series this
week in the Koffee Klub
League.
Other leading bowlers were:
Mary Johnson 187, Gerry
Gillespie 184, Liz Sherliza 179,
Dottie Golena 175, Chris
Hudgins 169, Bonnie Pfrogner
168, Jane Moore 168, Bunni
Zater 168, Betty Bouchell 165,
Gwen Mitchell 164, Norma Head
160, Ruby Trammell 167, Bonnie
Rounds 155, Margie Yates 153,
Loraine Kierbow 151 and
Evelyn Downing 151.
Wilborn
rolls 192
Barbara Wilborn rolled a 192
game and a 184 series yesterday
in the Thursday Morning
League. Linda Powers bowled a
184.
Other leading bowlers were:
Mary Walker 162, Marjorie
Perdue 167, Betty Imes 163,
Fran Gordon 169, Margaret
Woodall 157, Rusty Owens 163,
Bernie Zuberer 174, Jeanine
Ward 181, Mary Jo Kleine 163,
Betty Miller 176, Elaine Gordon
180 and June Folds 169.
The LM’s and Gutters tied,
the Sleepyheads defeated the
Smilies 3-1, the B. C. and Dees
beat the Gutter Dusters 3-1, the
Outsiders stopped the
Generations 4-0 and the Pinups
defeated the PT’s 3-1.
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Thanks, John 'Wortham
football. Georgia Tech’s attend
ance has been down the past
few years, but the Atlanta
Falcons have been selling out
all of their home games.
But Cotton Fitzsimmon’s con
cern is basketball, or, to be
more specific, the Atlanta
Hawks.
“I am a realist,” said Fitz
simmons. “I’ve got to concern
myself with putting together a
winning team. If changes are
needed, I’ve got to make them.
You start by looking at our vet
erans, our first five men.”
Norm Van Brocklin says he
hopes to get a good young run
ning back from the college
draft. Eddie Mathews is looking
for a pitcher. Cotton Fitzsim
mons is willing to talk trade,
“but not in panic; you have to
trade from strength.”
Ask just about any sports fan
you run into on an Atlanta
street and he’ll tell you that
any change is welcome — if it
will just being Atlanta a win
ner.
The Irish had some trouble
Thursday night with St. Francis
(Pa.) before bearing down for a
78- victory, their 12th of the
season.
Digger Phelps installed a full
court press to spark the Irish
and guards Gary Brokaw and
Dwight Clay each scored six
points in the final five minutes
of the first half to break open a
tight contest.
UCLA, meanwhile, hosts
Santa Clara tonight in its first
action since the Irish snapped
the Bruins’ record 88-game
winning streak last Saturday.
In other Thursday basketball
action, Fordham was trounced
by 14th-ranked South Carolina,
79- as Frank McGuire’s
“carpetbaggers” made them
selves at home before a New
York audience in a basketball
doubleheader.
Brian Winters, one of many
Gamecocks players recruited
from the New York area, led
the South Carolina onslaught
with 24 points.
Fordham meets another na
tionally ranked squad Saturday
when it plays Southern Califor
nia.
In the opening game of
Thursday’s doubleheader, the
llth-ranked Trojans survived a
scare created by two Seton Hall
freshmen for a 79-68 triumph.
The experienced Southern Cal
guards, Dan Anderson and Gu
Williams, were the difference in
the game as each scored 22
points.
Florida State scored four
points in the final 47 seconds to
edge Jacksonville, 78-74, while
Brigham Young registered a 89-
71 Western Athletic Conference
victory over Arizona State.
Seymour Reed, Greg Smith
and Mark Dohner each scored
21 points for Bradley in an easy
105-88 victory over Illinois.
Reports denied
LOS ANGELES (UPI)-An
attorney representing UCLA
running backs James McAlister
and Kermit Johnson and USC
offensive lineman Booker
Brown has denied reports the
three players have signed
contracts with the new World
Football League.
Michael Trope said only an
“unbelievable offer — more
money than O. J. Simpson is
making” would cause the three
to sign before the National
Football League holds its
player draft.
McAlister, Johnson and
Brown were the three top
choices of the Southern Cali
fornia WFL franchise. McAlist
er has said he intends to wait
for the NFL draft and then sign
with the team offering the best
contract
*S PORTS*
Sports briefs
By United Press International
Paultz lost
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (UPI) —
Center Billy Paultz will be lost
to the New York Nets for two
weeks because of a sprained
ankle suffered in Wednesday
night’s game with Virginia.
Paultz’s place on the East all
star squad for next Tuesday’s
game in Norfolk, Va., will be
taken by Jim Eakins of
Virginia, the man he slammed
into when he hurt his left ankle.
Bellingham
CINCINNATI (UPI) - The
Cincinnati Reds signed pitcher
Jack Billingham and infielder
Darrell Chaney to 1974 con
tracts Thursday. Billingham
was the workhorse of the club’s
pitching staff last year as he
started 40 games and posted a
19-10 record.
Play on earpet
NEW YORK (UPI) - Friend
ly rivals Gilles Villemure of the
New York Rangers and Bill
Trotters,
Bunnies
win games
The Globetrotters downed the
Hawks 53-44 and the Bunnies
whipped the Hawkettes 24-18
yesterday in the Junior
Basketball League.
Terrell downing paced the
Trotters with 21 points and
Clinton Hosley made 11. Steve
Hyatt scored 11 points for the
Hawks and Terry Ware made
10.
Cathy Clements scored 16
points for the Bunnies and
Larita Foster made four.
Michelle Goldstein and Lynn
Strong had six points for the
Hawkettes.
I scores
College Basketball Results
By United Press International
East
NY Poly 79 Nwrk Engnrng 75
Sthrn Cal 79 Seton Hall 68
Rutgers 95 Gettysburg 80
Slpry Rck 86 Grove City 76
Chyny St 81 Bloomsburg 60
Kings 73 E. Stroudsburg 63
GlssbroSt6B York-Pa. 58
New Haven 79 Babson 69
Frmnt St 103 Wheeling 72
S. Carolina 79 Fordham 63
Boston St 80 Lowell St 37
Curry 88 Fitchburg St 69
R.I. 55 Vermont 48
Amer Inti 64 Nrthestrn 61
Assmptn 88 Holy Cross 81
Stonehill 100 SE Mass 72
WVa Tech 69 WVa Wslyn 60
York 46 Lehman 42
Rutgers 95 Gettysburg 80
Geotwn 82 Cumberland 78
South
Fla St. 78 Jacksnvle 74
Fla A&M 78 Albany St. 72
Ky St. 115 Northwood 75
St. Andrews 84 Coker 63
JC Smith 77 NC Central 70 High
Point 78 Guilford 71
Lynchbrg 70 Greensboro 67
NC-Charlotte 83 LIU 63
Old Dominion 86 Xavier 83
LSU-New Orlns 70 SE La. 67
Midwest
Cntrl St. 89 Cedarvile 68
Loyola-111. 81 Wichita 69
Creighton 60 St. Louis 54
Sthrn 111. 84 Ind. St. 79
Ntre Dm 78 St Frncs-Pa 58
Bradley 105 Illinois 88
West
Brghm Yng 89 Ariz. St. 71
Utah St. 87 Weber St 67
Utah 121 Arizona 106
Griffin Headquarters For
LA-Z-BOY
Hreclina
ROCKERS
Large Selection
Styles-Colors
COVERS
GOODE-NICHOLS
206-208 South Hill St; Phone 227-9436
Harris of the New York
Islanders met in a different
kind of hockey match Thurs
day, playing on a plush red
carpet instead of the usual ice
surface.
Villemure, a goaltender, and
Harris, a forward, tested out a
new table-top Air-Hockey game
for Aurora Products. They
declined to divulge the score,
but will get together for a
rematch on ice when their two
clubs meet again Feb. 6.
Chambers
SAN ANTONIO, Tex. (UPI)
— Jerry Chambers, who picked
up an NBA tag of “not
aggressive enough,” was
placed on waivers Thursday by
the San Antonio Spurs of the
ABA. Chambers, a 6-5 forward,
played for Phoenix, Atlanta and
Buffalo in the NBA. He played
for San Diego of the ABA last
season and was signed by San
Antonio as a free agent last
summer.
Frazier chosen
NEW YORK (UPI) - Walt
Frazier, the New York Knicks
leading scorer, was chosen the
Police Athletic League Super
star of the Year by the young
members of the PAL’s 800
basketball teams. He will be
honored at a SIOO a plate dinner
here Feb. 27.
I NHL I
I standings
By United Press International
East
w. 1. t. pts gs ga
Boston 30 8 6 66 197 117
Montreal 28 11 6 62 163 124
NYRangrs22 15 10 54 169 143
Toronto 21 17 8 50 168 140
Buffalo 22 20 5 49 155 155
Detroit 18 22 6 42 155 179
NYlslndrsll 21 12 34 107 143
Vancouver 10 28 7 27 116 176
West
w. 1. t. pts gs ga
Phila 28 10 6 62 146 88
Chicago 21 9 14 56 157 95
St. Louis 20 19 6 46 125 120
Atlanta 18 21 7 43 118 132
LosAng 16 22 8 40 126 148
Minnesota 14 21 10 38 138 159
Pittsburgh 14 26 5 33 125 165
California 9 32 6 24 123 204
Thursday’s Results
Montreal 4 Buffalo 1
Chicago 2 Boston 1
Phila 4 Los Ang 4
Friday’s Games
Detroit at Atlanta
Minn, at Vancouver
Phila at California
Gramlich
bowls 238
Bernie Gramlich bowled a 238
game and a 620 series this week
in the Sacred Heart League. Liz
Gramlich had a 212 and a 500
series and Jeanne Jones rolled a
190, and a 520 series.
Other leading bowlers were:
James Kimbell 151, Hazel
Kimbell 156, Susan Thornhill
150, Bob Sherliza 217, Peggy
Proto 151 and Jim Janda 175.
First entry
ONTARIO, Calif. (API) —
David “Salt” Walther, who
suffered third degree burns on
40 per cent of his body in a
fiery crash in last year’s
Indianapolis 500, has become
the first confirmed entry for
the California 500 here March
10.
“I was a little nervous at
first,” said Walther, “but I had
been preparing myself mentally
for this moment for a long
time.... I feel real good. I’m
confident I can do the job.”
Coaches shuffled
at Henry County
(Reprinted from the Weekly Advertiser, McDonough)
In a series of startling athletic developments at Henry
County High School:
(1) Head basketball Coach John Willis resigned
suddenly with nine games remaining on the schedule.
(2) Gary Rymer, only recently employed as an
assistant boys basketball coach, was name interim head
basketball coach for the remainder of the season, and
(3) Principal Randall Ponder continued interviewing
applicants for the football head coaching job to find a
successor for Charles Earnest, who is accepting a
position in the County School Superintendent’s office.
After Willis tendered his resignation in a charged
atmosphere before The Henry County Board of
Education January 14, tall Gary Rymer was named
Head Coach.
The new coach got off to a good start as his team beat
Woodward Academy, 52-47. Rymer only recently came to
Henry County High School from Russell High School,
where he was an assistant.
The new 25-year-old Coach is a former Maryland high
school All American selected in his senior year among
the top preps in America. He received 200 scholarship
offers bdt decided to enroll at Ferrum Junior College in
Virginia, “because my grades were not all that good.
You know I was the typical basketball jock.” In his junior
year the 6 8 giant averaged 35 points per game. At
Ferrum, then later the University of Arkansas in the
Southwest Conference, Rymer was a starter. With the
Razorbacks, Gary averaged 12 points per game playing a
forward.
He views the situation at Henry County High School as
a tremendous opportunity. “We have a bunch of fantastic
boys. For the time we will go with what we have been
doing, but in time I hope to put in my own defense.”
Henry County High School has an 8-7 overall record
and 3-3 in the region.
The record, however, had nothing to do with the
resignation of Coach Willis, who also severed his
employment with the Henry County School System just
as suddenly.
SEARCH FOR FOOTBALL COACH
Meanwhile Coach Charles Earnest will be going to tne
Henry County School Superintendent’s office as Business
Manager.
Principal Randall Ponder has discussed the football
opening with a number of applicants, but emphasizes,
“We probably will not be in any hurry to fill this position
created when Coach Earnest decided to go to the School
Superintendent’s office.”
Though Earnest’s teams compiled a less than
spectacular record of one win and 19 losses, the situation
was not the result of any lack of capability on the Coach’s
part. Earnest, a veteran of 17 seasons coaching Georgia
High School football, won his last game as the War
Hawks beat Stockbridge to end a 21-game losing streak.
One immediate problem encountered by Principal
Ponder in naming a football replacement was the matter
of supplement. Coach Earnest was receiving only SISOO
supplemental salary. He was also teaching five classes.
Mr. Ponder said he had talked to at least one applicant
who was earning more as an assistant football coach. Mr.
Ponder said he had talked to a number of applicants
including several people presently in the school system.
There was the suggestion, however, that no serious
consideration had yet been given any one candidate or
any group of candidates.
Probably Henry County will not name a new coach
before March, and there is even the possibility the new
coach will not be named before Spring practice.
With but few exceptions, Henry County High has
compiled a dismal won-loss record over the years, and
there have been numbers of seasons when the team
failed to win a single game. Since football was introduced
at the school in 1952 there have been nine coaches.
Henry County does appear now to have prospects for
better things with the complexities of total integration
now resolved.
Women Os Moose
Presents
It’s Annual
MARCH OF DIMES DANCE
Tomorrow Night At
MOOSE CLUB
Zebulon & Moose Club Roads
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